SOLVABLE ISSUE.

♪♪ >> Mary: AS YOU JUST HEARD, THE TIE HAS RETURNED TO HE HOUSE.

GOOD THING WE HAVE THESE FORMER LEADERS HERE.

REPUBLICAN MARTY SEIFERT, HE WAS MINORITY LEADER AND DEMOCRAT RYAN WINKLER, WHO WAS MAJORITY LEADER.

SO, WHAT DO WE READ INTO, DEMOCRATS REALLY EXCITED, THEY SAY RECORD TURNOUT, BIG, 70% OF THE VOTE, IS IT ALL THAT FROM THAT SPECIAL ELECTION?

>> WELL, SPECIAL ELECTIONS ARE OFTENTIMES A GLIMPSE IN TIME.

I THINK THAT THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION HAS FUELED PEOPLE THAT ARE UPSET ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON, AND THAT PARTICULAR DISTRICT, WHICH IS JUST TUCKED NORTH OF St. PAUL, HAS A VERY HIGH CONCENTRATION OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES, BOTH STATE AND FEDERAL, EAST SIDE CAMPUS OF THE U OF M THERE AND A LOT OF STATE GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES.

AND, SO, I'M NOT SHOCKED.

I WOULD BE SHOCKED IF THE REPUBLICAN WAS CLOSER THAN TEN POINTS BECAUSE IT IS SUCH AN OVERWHELMINGLY DFL DISTRICT.

BUT IT IS A PRECURSOR TO THINGS THAT MIDTERMS COULD BE LIKE 2018, IF PEOPLE ARE UPSET.

>> Mary: REPUBLICANS SPENT TIME AND MONEY IN THE DISTRICT.

THEY DIDN'T JUST SAY IT WAS A GIMME.

WHAT DO THE RESULTS TELL YOU?

>> WELL, I THINK AFTER FOUR LAWSUITS THEY HAD TO AT LEAST PRETEND TO COMPETE IN THAT DISTRICT, RIGHT?

>> Mary: IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A MAJORITY FOR THEM, A REAL MAJORITY.

>> OF COURSE.

>> Mary: IT'S EVERYTHING.

>> AFTER ALL THE SHENANIGANS AND THE NONSENSE THAT STARTED THIS SESSION OUT, THEY HAD TO, I GUESS, TRY TO FLY THE FLAG AT THE END.

BUT I DON'T THINK IT SAYS A LOT, EXCEPT MAYBE WHAT MARTY'S TALKING ABOUT.

THERE'S PLENTY OF EXCITEMENT AND INTEREST IN VOTING, THAT'S A GOOD SIGN FOR DEMOCRATS.

WHETHER THAT TRANSLATES INTO 2028, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ALL GOING TO BE GUESSING ABOUT -- '26, I GUESS.

>> Mary: THAT'S A LONG WAYS AWAY.

>> IT IS.

A LIFETIME IN POLITICS.

FRANKLY, PEOPLE FORGOT THAT THE DFL WASN'T SHOWING UP FOR THE FIRST FOUR WEEKS OR WHATEVER IT IS.

>> Mary: YOU THINK IT'S GONE, A NONISSUE?

>> THEY'LL BE REMINDED BY THE REPUBLICANS THAT THEY DIDN'T SHOW UP.

>> Mary: YOU THINK?

>> REPRESENTATIVE SO AND SO DIDN'T SHOW UP FOR FIVE WEEKS OR WHATEVER IT WAS.

BUT I DO THINK, YOU KNOW, THE FEDERAL POLITICAL SCHEME USUALLY OVERWHELMS WHATEVER IS GOING ON AT THE STATE LEVEL.

AND THEN AT THE MARGINS, PEOPLE CAN OUTRUN THE TOP OF THE TICKET, AND THE REPUBLICANS, I THINK, IN THE NEXT CYCLE, YOU KNOW, THOSE HOUSE MEMBERS, THOSE SENATE MEMBERS THAT ARE UP RE GOING TO REALLY HAVE TO DOOR KNOCK, DO THEIR THING ON THE REPUBLICAN SIDE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY DON'T GET WASHED OUT IF THERE'S A TOUGH CYCLE COMING.

>> Mary: WE'VE BEEN BOTH -- WE BOTH HAVE EEN AROUND A LONG TIME.

WE USED TO SEE THAT MINNESOTA WOULD RUN CONTRARY OR OUTPERFORM THE NATIONAL SCHEME.

MORE AND ORE OUR ELECTIONS HERE ARE GETTING NATIONALIZED.

WHAT DOES THIS TELL YOU, YOU KNOW, IS WHAT'S HAPPENING IN D.C.

GOING TO INFLUENCE WHO CONTROLS THE HOUSE AND SENATE?

>> I THINK IT ALWAYS HAS.

I THINK A BIG DIFFERENCE -- >> Mary: BUT MORE MAYBE THAN IT USED TO.

>> MINNESOTA USED TO HAVE A LOT MORE RURAL DEMOCRATS THAN IT DOES RIGHT NOW.

AND THE PATTERN OF KIND OF THE RURAL AREAS BEING REPUBLICAN, THE CITIES AND THE SUBURBS BECOMING MORE DEMOCRATIC.

THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SEEING HERE.

AND IT ALIGNS ON KIND OF IDEALOGICAL UNITY, WHICH I THINK IS NOT SERVED -- WHICH HAS NOT SERVED DEMOCRATS VERY WELL.

WHEN I CAME INTO THE HOUSE, WE HAD A LOT OF IRON RANGE AND FARM COUNTRY DEMOCRATS WHO BROUGHT A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE AND A NEEDED PERSPECTIVE.

>> Mary: PRO LIFE DEMOCRATS.

THE SENATE HAD A LOT OF PRO GUN DEMOCRATS.

THAT DOESN'T -- >> THE DFL USED TO BE ABLE TO SAY IT WAS THE ONLY PARTY THAT REPRESENTED ALL PARTS OF THE STATE IN A BIG TEN COALITION -- BIG-TENT COALITION.

WE'VE GOTTEN AWAY, AND THAT'S A BIG CHANGE DEMOCRATS HAVE TO MAKE, TO BE MORE RELEVANT TO MORE PEOPLE AND FOCUS ON ISSUES LIKE AFFORDABILITY.

>> Mary: AS A RURAL REPUBLICAN, YOU'VE SEEN GREAT GAINS IN YOUR PARTY.

>> I GOT ELECTED IN 1996, WE HAD REPUBLICANS IN GOLDEN VALLEY, St. LOUIS PARK, INNER-CITY ROCHESTER.

WE HAVE NO REPUBLICANS THAT ARE INSIDE THE 494 BELTWAY ANYMORE AND THAT NEEDS -- WE NEED TO RUN CANDIDATES THAT FIT THE DISTRICTS, THAT ARE MODERATE ON CERTAIN THINGS, I KNOW THAT'S A DIRTY WORD FOR A LOT OF REPUBLICANS, BUT, AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS IS A CENTRIST STATE, 0ER IT COULD BE A LITTLE CENTER RIGHT, CENTER LEFT, IF YOU MAKE THE BY AND LARGE GROUP OF PEOPLE.

NOW I'M CONSERVATIVE, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, IN A LOT OF THESE DIFFERENT HOUSE DISTRICTS, THEY HAVE TO IT THE DISTRICT.

IN A LOT OF CASES, THAT -- BOTH PARTIES, IN THE RURAL AREAS, TOO, THEY HAVE TO BE RUNNING CANDIDATES THAT FIT THEIR DISTRICT.

>> Mary: BUT IS IT GOING TO JUST BE WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND WHAT PEOPLE THINK OF TRUMP IN THE MIDTERM?

>> I MEAN, THAT IS WHAT WE'VE SEEN INCREASINGLY IN RECENT CYCLES.

AND, YOU KNOW, THE BIG EFFECT OF TRUMP HAS BEEN TO SORT, RE-SORT PEOPLE INTO TWO DIFFERENT CAMPS AND WE REALLY SEE THAT RIGHT NOW.

I MEAN, IF YOU LOOK AT YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA FEED, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A LOT OF STUFF ABOUT HOW PEOPLE WILL NEVER TALK TO, DATE OR WANT TO BE IN THE SAME FAMILY WITH SOMEBODY ON THE OTHER SIDE.

AND THAT IS ERTAINLY BRAND-NEW TO MINNESOTA.

>> Mary: SO, WHAT ARE THE RAMIFICATIONS FOR MINNESOTA?

WHEN IT COMES TO THESE -- THE FEDERAL CHAOS AND CHANGES.

ARE THERE BENEFITS?

YOU'RE A REPUBLICAN, YOU HAVE TO SEE SOME BENEFITS, RIGHT?

>> WELL, I MEAN, AT THE END OF THE DAY, I THINK BALANCING THE BUDGET IS LIKE GOING TO HEAVEN.

EVERYBODY WANTS TO DO BUT NOBODY WANTS TO DO WHAT IT TAKES TO GET THERE.

SO HERE WE ARE.

PEOPLE HAVE TO SACRIFICE.

PEOPLE HAVE TO LIVE IN AN AUSTERE SITUATION IF YOU WANT TO BALANCE THE BUDGET.

>> Mary: MORE SACRIFICES BECAUSE OF THE FED HERE?

>> THE ISSUE I HAVE AS AN OLD-TIME REPUBLICAN, I'M OT SUPER OLD BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK THEY SHOULD BE PUTTING THIS TOWARDS DEBT REDUCTION, DEFICIT REDUCTION.

I THINK THEY SAID SAY NO AX INCREASES, BUT WHATEVER WE SAVE, WE'RE GOING TO PUT INTO PAYING OFF THE NATIONAL DEBT, BALANCING THE BUDGET.

WHOEVER TALKS ABOUT BALANCING THE BUDGET ANYMORE?

THAT'S WHY A LOT OF PEOPLE LEFT THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.

WE HAVE TO BECAUSE OF THE CONSTITUTION.

[ OVERLAPPING CONVERSATION ] BUT I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF DISAPPOINTMENT FROM SOME PEOPLE LIKE ME, THAT SAY, HEY, I THINK THAT BUDGET REDUCTIONS AND ANALYSIS ARE GOOD, BUT HE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT IT, THEY NEED TO BE LOOKING AT REDUCING DEFICITS AND DEBT, AND NOT AS MUCH AT THE TAX REDUCTION SIDE OF THINGS.

I THINK THEY SHOULD DO SOME BUDGET CHANGES BUT IT'S A LITTLE TOO MUCH.

>> Mary: REPUBLICANS ARE BLAMING DEMOCRATS FOR THE OUTYEARS.

IN MINNESOTA.

>> IN MINNESOTA, OF COURSE, THEY ARE.

BUT, I MEAN BE, THE BIG CHANGE AS WE ALL KNOW, THE FORECAST OF WHAT THE ECONOMY IS GOING TO DO WENT LOWER.

AND THAT IS WHAT DRIVES THE PROJECTION IN FUTURE YEARS.

OF WHAT THE BUDGET BE SITUATION IS.

IT'S NOT LIKE THIS IS ALL LOCKED IN AND IT'S JUST LIKE A MATH EQUATION.

THIS IS A LOT OF GUESSWORK ABOUT WHAT THE ECONOMY'S GOING TO DO AND ECONOMISTS ARE GUESSING THAT TARIFFS AND CHAOS AND CONFUSION OUT OF WASHINGTON ON FOREIGN POLICY AND THE WHOLE SITUATION WITH DOAJ, RANDOM SCATTERED CUTS ARE GOING TO BE BAD FOR THE ECONOMY.

>> Mary: DO WE NEED MORE BUDGET FORECAST, SPECIAL SESSION, SUMMER, FALL, WHAT DO YOU SEE?

>> I THINK IT'S POSSIBLE.

THEY WERE WAY OFF ON FISCAL NOTES, LIKE THE FREE LUNCHES FOR KIDS WAS OFF BY A RIDICULOUS AMOUNT OF MONEY.

SO SOME OF THE NEW PROGRAMS THAT STARTED, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO BLAME THE FISCAL ANALYSTS, BUT FOR SOME REASON THEY WERE WAY OFF.

>> Mary: WHAT DO YOU FORESEE?

>> I THINK MINNESOTA'S GOING TO HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW DEAL WITH THESE BIG CHAOTIC EVENTS NATIONALLY AND, THAT WE ALWAYS DO.

THE RUBBER HITS THE ROAD, WE'VE GOT TO BALANCE THE BUDGET.

WE DID IT THROUGH COVID, I'M