
Former House Leaders | 2026 Session
Clip: Season 2026 Episode 14 | 6m 9sVideo has Closed Captions
Republican Kurt Zellers and DFLer Ryan Winkler.
Republican Kurt Zellers and DFLer Ryan Winkler.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Almanac at the Capitol is a local public television program presented by Twin Cities PBS

Former House Leaders | 2026 Session
Clip: Season 2026 Episode 14 | 6m 9sVideo has Closed Captions
Republican Kurt Zellers and DFLer Ryan Winkler.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
How to Watch Almanac at the Capitol
Almanac at the Capitol is available to stream on pbs.org and the free PBS App, available on iPhone, Apple TV, Android TV, Android smartphones, Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire Tablet, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, LG TV, and Vizio.
Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorshipSTATE AND NUMBER TWO, FRAUD.
♪ ♪ >> BIG NAMES CONTINUE.
WE HAVE FORMER HOUSE SPEAKER, REPUBLICAN KURT ZELLERS, FORMER HOUSE MAJORITY LEADER, DEMOCRAT RYAN WINKLER.
WELL, YOU GUYS, YOU JUST SAW THERE, SOMEHOW, SENATE REPUBLICANS, THE ONLY CAUCUS TECHNICALLY IN A MINORITY, THEY ENDED UP GETTING OVER A BILLION-DOLLAR BONDING BILL, OH, YEAH, AND A LICENSE TAB CUT IN THE LAST MINUTE?
THAT'S PRETTY DECENT, RIGHT?
ARE YOU SURPRISED?
>> YES AND NO.
>> YEAH.
>> IT IS IN AN ELECTION YEAR AND AS MY FRIEND TIM PAWLENTY USED TO SAY THERE'S NO SWEETER TO GET -- SESSION DONE THAN A BONDING BILL.
>> DO YOU THINK -- HAPPY OR NOT?
>> I THINK THE EXPECTATIONS WERE VERY LOW.
I THINK THE SESSION WINS COULD BE EVEN AMONGST ALL CAUCUSES.
ANYONE WHO CLAIMS CREDIT GETS CREDIT I GUESS.
BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THERE ARE LONGER TERM ISSUES LARGELY UNADDRESSED AND PROBABLY NEVER GOING TO BE ADDRESSED IN A TIED HOUSE AND ONE-VOTE SENATE.
AS MUCH AS THEY CAN BE HAPPY WITH THE ONE-TIME FIXES THAT THEY MANAGED TO GET ACROSS THE LINE, THERE'S MUCH BIGGER ISSUES.
>> ARE YOU TALKING GUNS AND IMMIGRATION >> THOSE ARE HOT BUTTON ISSUES HERE, I THINK IF YOU LISTEN TO WHAT AMY KLOBUCHAR IS SAYING ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL, IT'S ABOUT TRUST, ADDRESSING FRAUD IN A DETAILED WAY, AND AFFORDABILITY.
AND IF YOU TALK TO PARENTS IT'S A LOT ABOUT EDUCATION, IF YOU TALK TO JUST ABOUT ANYBODY, IT'S HEALTH CARE COSTS.
WE'VE GOT BIG LONG-TERM ISSUES TO FACE IN MINNESOTA AND I DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO GET THERE ITH SESSIONS LIKE THIS AS SUCCESSFUL AS IT WAS UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
>> HEAD OF THE BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP, BUSINESS IS CONCERNED ABOUT FRAUD, EDUCATION, THOSE SOUND LIKE SIMILAR CONCERNS, YES?
>> YEAH, I MEAN WE DID HAVE I THINK A GIGANTIC WIN NOT JUST FOR US BECAUSE WE WERE BEHIND IT BUT -- FOR THE READ ACT THAT WAS IN AND THAT WAS PASSED THIS SESSION.
SCIENCE OF READING THIS IS WHERE WE'RE HELPING EVERY KID NO MATTER IF THEY GO TO PUBLIC SCHOOL, PRIVATE SCHOOL, CHARTER SCHOOL THEY'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO READ AT GRADE LEVEL BY THE TIME THEY LEAVE GRADE SCHOOL.
THAT IS A HUGE WIN.
AS WE SAW EARLIER THIS YEAR MINNESOTA DIPPED BELOW FITCHES OF KIDS READING AT GRADE LEVEL, THAT'S EMBARRASSING.
HERE'S A -- QUARTERBACK, DRAFT IN NFL, NOW YOU'RE AN NFL QUARTERBACK, OF COURSE NOT, YOU HAVE TO PRACTICE.
MIGHT -- IN OUR CURRENT SITUATION, BUT.
>> FOOTBALL PLAYER SAYS.
>> READ ACT HAS TRAINING FOR THOSE TEACHERS WHO MAYBE DIDN'T HAVE READ ACT OR SCIENCE OF READING TRAINING IN COLLEGE, BUT NOW THEY'RE OUT.
THAT IS A LONG-TERM FIX FOR OUR SCHOOLS, IT'S GOING TO BE A LEGACY GOVERNOR WALZ AND THE LEGISLATORS SHOULD BE VERY, VERY PROUD OF.
>> FRAUD BIPARTISAN OF THE SOLUTION, KIND OF GOT THE GOVERNOR OUT OF THE RACE BUT KLOBUCHAR IN, HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT?
>> FIRST OF ALL I THINK A FULL ACT OF SERVICE BY ANY GOVERNOR.
>> HE'S AT PEACE WITH HIS DECISION, ISN'T HE?
>> THIRD TERMS ARE INHERENTLY DIFFICULT.
I THINK AMY KLOBUCHAR AS A FORMER PROSECUTOR AND PRAGMATIC, POLICY DRIVEN PERSON COMING IN WITH A VERY DETAILED -- I THINK EYES, FRESH ENERGY AND DETERMINATION TO GET THINGS MOVING IN MINNESOTA IN A POSITIVE WAY I THINK THAT'S ALL TO THE GOOD BUT WE'VE GOT SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES AHEAD.
>> WALZ IN THOUGH WAS THE BEST CHANCE REPUBLICANS HAD SINCE PAWLENTY BASICALLY TO WIN THIS, RIGHT?
DEMUTH WAS LOOKING LIKE A STRONG CANDIDATE BUT WHO GETS ENDORSED?
IT'S A WILD CARD, ISN'T IT?
>> AND I HAVE A JADED OPINION BECAUSE I DIDN'T GO FOR THE ENDORSEMENT WHEN I RAN SO I THINK WHOEVER COMES OUT OF EITHER ONE OF THE CONVENTIONS SHOULD GO TO THE PRIMARY AND HAVE THE VAST MAJORITY OF VOTERS ON EITHER SIDE OF THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM VOTE FOR THEIR CANDIDATE.
I THINK LISA HAS A GREAT CHANCE.
I THINK OTHER QUALIFIED CANDIDATES, I THINK THERE ARE VASTLY UNQUALIFIED CANDIDATES THAT SHOULD NOT BE SPENDING THEIR TIME OR WASTING VOTERS' TIME RUNNING FOR OFFICE.
>> DO YOU MEAN MIKE LINDELL >> YEAH.
>> KENDALL QUALLS IS A BUSINESS PERSON, HE'S GOT A SHOT AT IT, DOESN'T HE?
>> YEAH, HE'S BEEN A BUSINESS PERSON IN OUR STATE PART OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY FOR A LONG TIME, EMANANTLY QUALIFIED.
>> KLOBUCHAR'S TOUGH IN A GENERAL, ISN'T SHE?
>> I MEAN, GOOD LUB, GOOD LUCK.
THE GOOD NEWS IS AMY KLOBUCHAR CARES ABOUT BEING GOVERNOR FOR THE ENTIRE STATE.
AND THAT'S NOT JUST RHETORIC, SHE'S PROVEN OVER AND OVER AGAIN AND FRIENDLY TO BUSINESS.
WHICH NOT ALL DEMOCRATS CAN SAY.
>> OUR MARGINS HAVE BEEN SPEAKING.
>> I WAS GOING TO POINT OUT, SHE RAN AGAINST A GUY PENDING HIS CAMPAIGN MONEY ON DRUGS AND STRIP JOINTS.
>> YOU MEAN YOUR REPUBLICAN ENDORSED NOMINEE?
>> I DIDN'T SAY IT WAS THE RIGHT ENDORSEMENT I JUST SAID IF I WERE RUNNING AGAINST A GUY LIKE THAT I WOULD EXPECT TO GET OVER 60%.
THAT BEING SAID I THINK IT WILL BE, ANYBODY PREDICTING THE MIDTERM OUTCOMES IN THE GOVERNOR'S RACE IS EITHER BS-ING THEMSELVES OR TRYING TO CONVINCE THEIR OPPONENT -- LONG LONG TIME 'TIL NOVEMBER.
>> IMMIGRATION STILL AN ISSUE IN NOVEMBER?
>> I THINK IMMIGRATION IN MINNESOTA IS AN ISSUE, I THINK NATIONALLY IT'S DIALED BACK.
I THINK THE 30-YEAR -- TO ATTACK DEMOCRATS ENDED IN MINNESOTA THIS JANUARY.
I THINK THE POLLS HAVE SHIFTED FUNDAMENTALLY ON THAT.
BUT WE HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THE DAMAGE THAT WAS DONE AND HARM THAT WAS CAUSED.
WE'VE GOT A WHOLE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY THAT WAS BADLY DAMAGED BY WHAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DID AND THE WORKERS, PEOPLE WHO ARE TRYING TO STRUGGLE AND KEEP THINGS GOING ARE PAYING THE PRICE FOR THAT TOO, WE HAVE WORK TO DO.
>> FINAL IMCFSS WORD ON IMMIGRATION AND HOSPITALITY, THAT'S REAL.
>> IT DID BUT I THINK THE FRAUD AND ON TOP OF INSURANCE TAB FEES YOU CAN GO DOWN THE LIST OF AFFORDABILITY, IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH IMMIGRATION, ITH THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, THAT WAS ALL LOCALLY STARTED.
THAT'S GOING TO BE THE ISSUE ON THE BALLOT AND IF THIS FRAUD CONTINUES THE CASES CONTINUE TO COME OUT AND PROSECUTIONS CONTINUE TO RACK UP VOTERS ARE A DISTINCT DISTRUST OF GOVERNMENT BEING ABLE TO HANDLE DOLLAR ONE, LET ALONE MORE TAXES.
>> VOTER DISTRUST AND SLEEPER ISSUES, A.I., DATA CENTERS, FEAR ABOUT FUNDAMENTALS OF THE ECONOMY, I THINK THAT'S ANOTHER BIG ISSUE WE NEED TO BE
Video has Closed Captions
Clip: S2026 Ep14 | 9m 41s | Mary Lahammer speaks with the Governor after his final session. (9m 41s)
Sen. Carla Nelson | Retiring Lawmaker
Video has Closed Captions
Clip: S2026 Ep14 | 5m 22s | Republican Sen. Carla Nelson bids farewell to the Minnesota Legislature. (5m 22s)
Video has Closed Captions
Clip: S2026 Ep14 | 2m 32s | Mary Lahammer wraps up the end to session. (2m 32s)
Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship
- News and Public Affairs

Top journalists deliver compelling original analysis of the hour's headlines.

- News and Public Affairs

Today's top journalists discuss Washington's current political events and public affairs.












Support for PBS provided by:
Almanac at the Capitol is a local public television program presented by Twin Cities PBS


