♪♪ >> MARY: THESE TWO FORMER LAWMAKERS ARE NO STRANGERS TO THE EBB AND FLOW OF THE LEGISLATURE.

AND THE BREAKS AND COMING BACK FROM BREAK.

FORMER STATE SENATORS DFLER KARLA BIGHAM AND REPUBLICAN MICHELLE BENSON.

LET'S TALK ABOUT THE NEW POLL THAT'S OUT, THE NEWS OF THE DAY, KSTP POLL THAT SAYS HOUSE REPUBLICANS ARE SLIGHTLY UP IN THE RACE FOR CONTROL HERE.

LET'S GO TO THE REPUBLICAN FIRST.

>> WELL, I WOULD SAY, AS YOU TAKE COMMON SENSE TO MINNESOTANS, THEY DIDN'T KNOW THEIR TAXES WERE GOING TO GET RAISED, THEY DIDN'T KNOW A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE BEING PUSHED.

MINNESOTANS ARE PRETTY COMMON SENSE AND SO AS LONG AS REPUBLICANS STAY IN THE COMMON SENSE LANE, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A GOOD SHOT IN THE FALL.

>> Mary: SHOULD DEMOCRATS BE WORRIED?

>> NO, IT'S LIKE SAYING I'M GOING TO LOSE TEN POUNDS FOR MY CLASS REUNION DOWN THE ROADS.

IT'S VERY EARLY IN APRIL TO DO THIS.

BOTH SIDES WILL BE CRAFTING MESSAGES AND GETTING OUT HERE AND THERE.

THEY HAVE SIX WEEKS LEFT OF SESSION, MAYBE, OR FIVE WEEKS LEFT OF SESSION.

>> Mary: IF THEY DON'T GO HOME EARLY.

>> WHICH I'M THAT WHEN I SEE IT.

BUT THAT'S WHEN THEY'LL REALLY GETS ON THE DOOR AND GET THE MESSAGING FOR BOTH SIDES.

FOR BOTH SIDES, THEY'LL FRAME IT UP.

>> Mary: I'M PRETTY SURE THEY WERE IN THE FIELD ON THIS POLL BEFORE THE ARIZONA ABORTION BAN HIT BECAUSE ABORTION ENDED UP AFFECTING MINNESOTA'S ELECTIONS AND NATIONALLY .

COULD THAT HAVE REVERBERATIONS?

>> IMMIGRATION AND INFLATION ARE GOING TO BE REALLY HIGH ON THE LIST.

WE'LL SEE WHAT KIND OF CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS GET PASSED BY THE DEMOCRATS IN THE HOUSE AND SENATE BECAUSE THAT'S GOING TO REALLY IMPACT VOTER TURNOUT AND REPUBLICAN -- >> Mary: WHICH IS STILL VERY MUCH UP IN THE AIR, ERA, ABORTION LANGUAGE GETS ON THIS CYCLE, NEXT CYCLE, TO BE DETERMINED.

>> AND THE YEAR-ROUND LEGISLATURE, IF WE HAVE TO SPEND MONEY TELLING PEOPLE LEGISLATORS WANT TO BE HERE YEAR' ROUNDS, THAT'S GOING TO TAKE AWAY FROM SOME OTHER MESSAGING SO ET'S SEE HOW MUCH MONEY COMES IN ON ISSUES THAT MINNESOTANS DON'T REALLY WANT.

MINNESOTANS DON'T WANT A YEAR-ROUND LEGISLATURE BUT THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE AS POPULAR AS SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS.

>> Mary: DOESN'T LOOK LIKE YOUR OWN LEGISLATURE.

>> I DO BELIEVE THAT THE MESSAGING THAT THE DEMOCRATS WILL BRING WILL BE TALKING ABOUT THE WONDERFUL, INCREDIBLE THINGS THEY DID ON THE CHILD TAX CREDIT AND A LOT OF THE INVESTMENTS IN EDUCATION, THE INCREDIBLE HISTORICAL MONEY THEY DID FOR PUBLIC SAFETY AND A LOT OF THOSE WILL GET OUT THERE AND THE REPUBLICANS WILL BE GETTING THEIR MESSAGES OUT, TOO, SO LIKE I SAID, IT'S REALLY EARLY.

IT'S APRIL.

>> LET'S BE CLEAR, SCHOOL DISTRICTS ACROSS THE STATE ARE SAYING WE STILL DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY SO WHEN DEMOCRATS SAY WE GAVE YOU ALL THIS MONEY, THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE SAYING, NOT SO MUCH.

THERE WERE A LOT OF MANDATES WITH THAT AND WHEN IT COMES O PUBLIC SAFETY, THE AVERAGE MINNESOTAN DOES NOT BELIEVE THE DEMOCRATS STAND BY COPS.

>> Mary: LET'S TALK PUBLIC SAFETY BECAUSE OU BOTH SAW THAT PIECE THIS WEEK.

I DON'T KNOW IF I'VE EVER SEEN SO MUCH PEACE IN THE VALLEY DOWN HERE IN HE HOUSE ON PUBLIC SAFETY.

WHY THIS TIME AROUND HAS THAT BECOME A BIPARTISAN ISSUE?

>> WELL, BECAUSE I THINK IT IS A -- AN ISSUE THAT ACROSS THE STATE PEOPLE HAVE UNITED AROUND, AND I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT HERE TO SAY OUR BLESSINGS TO THE OFFICERS THAT WERE INJURED TODAY AND THANK GOD THAT THEY WERE NOT -- >> Mary: THIS WAS IN MINNETONKA TODAY.

>> IN MINNETONKA, IT WAS NOT A TRAGEDY THAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED WAY TOO MUCH HERE IN MINNESOTA SO THANK GOD FOR THAT.

AND OUR PRAYERS ARE WITH THEM.

BUT I DO THINK THAT SAFE COMMUNITIES ARE ALWAYS ON EVERYONE'S MINDS BECAUSE EVERYONE DESERVES THEM AND THE CONTINUED INVESTMENT IN CONVERSATION THAT WE HAVE BETWEEN PUBLIC SAFETY AND COMMUNITY NEED TO CONTINUE TO HAPPEN.

THEY HAVE.

>> Mary: BUT THIS HAS CHANGED.

IT HAS GOTTEN MORE BIPARTISANSHIP.

>> LET'S BE REALLY, REALLY CLEAR.

THERE'S ONLY ONE PARTY THAT WAS SAYING DEFUND THE COPS.

AND THERE WAS ONE PARTY THAT WAS SAYING WE STANDS WITH THE COPS AND WHEN YOU ASK A COP, WHICH PARTY SUPPORTS THEM, IT'S THE REPUBLICANS NOT THE DEMOCRATS.

>> Mary: BUT YOU'RE NOT HEARING THAT DIVISIVE LANGUAGE ANYMORE.

[Overlapping Conversation].

>> I'M TELL YOU ONE PARTY THAT VOTED FOR THE HISTORICAL FUNDING AND THAT WAS THE DEMOCRATS.

>> THIS WAS A COMPROMISE BILL BECAUSE DEMOCRATS HAVE REALIZED THEY HAVE TO TONE DOWN THE ANTI-COP RECEIPT RHETORIC.

OUR FIRST RESPONDERS GETTING SHOT IN BURNSVILLE, FIRST RESPONDERS GETTING SHOT TODAY.

THEY NEED TO KNOW EVERY SINGLE DAY, YES, THEY WILL E HELD ACCOUNTABLE BUT MINNESOTANS HAVE THEIR BACK AND THE RHETORIC FOR YEARS HAS BEEN COPS ARE AD.

FROM THE DEMOCRATS.

>> Mary: IS IT EASIER TO GET BIPARTISAN VOTE RIGHT NOW WHEN THE OMNIBUS BILLS AREN'T SO BIG AND CONTROVERSIAL ANYMORE?

IN YEAR TWO?

>> WELL, I THINK BUDGET YEAR ARE MORE DIFFICULT, YEA, I THINK THAT'S ACCURATE.

ALSO MORE DIFFICULT WHEN YOU'RE -- WHEN YOU'RE ARGUING OVER REVENUE STREAMS, RIGHT, AND CUTS OR -- >> Mary: BECAUSE THE SENATE WAS PUTTING UP VOTES ON JOBS BILLS TOGETHER.

>> MOST EVER THEM HAVE BEEN BIPARTISAN AND UNANIMOUS IN THE HOUSE.

>> AND UDGET BILLS, IN A BUDGET YEAR, WHEN YOU HAVE THE GOVERNOR, HOWES AND SENATE AND THERE DOESN'T TO HAVE TO BE REALLY ANY BACK AND FORTH, THAT'S A COMPLETELY DIVOT THAN -- YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A SENATE POSITION, WE'VE GOT REPUBLICANS TAKING A POSITION, NEGOTIATING AGAINST A DEMOCRAT GOVERNOR, THAT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT PARTISANSHIP THAN WHEN YOU HAVE THE RIFECTA AND ALL THE VOTES GO ONE WAY.

>> Mary: YOU MENTIONED THE GOVERNOR, KIND OF ONE OF THE FAVORITE PARLOR GAMES AROUND HERE NOW IS THE GOVERNOR RUNNING FOR A THIRD TERM, IS HE RUNNING FOR A FEDERAL CABINET BOGGS, OR PRESIDENT?

WHAT DO YOU THINK, WHAT'S NEXT FOR TIM WALZ?

>> I THINK HE'S BEING GOVERNOR.

I THINK HE IS.

I MEAN, I ACTUALLY -- >> Mary: IS HE GOING TO DO AN UNPRECEDENTED THIRDS TERM, THOUGH?

OTHERS HAVE TRIED AND DIDN'T GO SO WELL.

I GREW UP WITH RUDY PERPICH GIVING IT A TRY.

>> I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE THINKING, THEY ARE A TEAM, A UNITED TEAM AND I THINK THEY HAVE DONE INCREDIBLE THINGS FOR MINNESOTA AND -- >> Mary: DO YOU WANT HIM TO RUN AGAIN?

>> I THINK HE'S DONE A TREMENDOUS THING.

I WOULD BE HAPPY TO SUPPORT HIM IN WHATEVER CHOICE THAT HE WOULD MOVE FORWARD ON.

>> BUT EVERY SINGLE ELECTED FISHING HAS EOPLE SAYING ON YOUR STAFF, YOU CAN DO BIGGER, YOU CAN DO MORE.

>> Mary: DOES HE RUN FOR GOVERNOR AND STILL KEEP HIS TOE IN THE NATIONAL OFFICE?

>> SO, THERE ARE GOING TO BE PEOPLE SAYING, YOU KNOW WHAT, THE WAY TO STAY RELEVANT FOR PRESIDENT IS TO RUN FOR GOVERNOR AGAIN.

>> Mary: SO SOUNDS LIKE, YEAH, THAT WE THINK -- WELL, WHAT ABOUT MINNESOTANS?

WE DON'T HAVE TERM LIMITS, SO MANY OTHER POLITICAL REPORTERS AROUND THE COUNTRY YOU DON'T EVER TERM LIMITS BECAUSE WE HAVE REALLY HIGH VOTER TURNOUT.

IT'S JUST BEEN A TRADITION, AN UNSPOKEN RULE.

>> RIGHT.

>> Mary: DO OU GET IN TROUBLE FOR VIOLATING THAT?

>> YOU KNOW WHAT, THE RULES HAVE ALL BEEN THROWN OUT.

>> Mary: THAT'S A GOOD POINT.

>> IN THE POST-COVID, AMOUNT RULES ARE GONE.

>> AND THE VOTERS DECIDE, RIGHT AND THAT'S THE BEAUTY OF IT.

>> Mary: ANY CHANCE OF EARLY ADJOURN.

>> 21 DAYS.

IF THERE IS A YEAR IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, IT'S THIS YEAR.

[Laughter] [Overlapping Conversation].

>> AND WHEN YOU WATCH THEM RUNNING THROUGH THE LEGISLATIVE DAYS WHEN THEY HAVE MONDAY, THURSDAY AND FRIDAY SESSIONS, IT'S A GOOD WAY TO CREATE EARLY PRESSURE.

SO IF I'M LOOKING AT THESE TWO LEADERS, BOTH POWERFUL WOMEN SAYING WE NEED TO THE POWER TO COME EARLIER SO IT LOOKS LIKE WE ADJOURN LIGHTS, BURN THE LE