OUR NEXT TWO GUESTS SPONSORED HIGH-PROFILE BIPARTISAN BILLS, BROKE WITH THEIR CAUCUS ON KEY ISSUES, SPOKE OUT AGAINST AGGRESSIVE IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT--AND THEY STILL LOST IN THEIR COMPETITIVE DISTRICTS.

REPUBLICAN SENATOR JIM ABELER OF ANOKA, AND WITH HIM IS REPRESENTATIVE DANNY NADEAU OF ROGERS.

THANK YOU BOTH FOR JOINING US.

REPRESENTATIVE, SOUNDS LIKE YOU DID EVERYTHING RIGHT IN YOUR PURPLE DISTRICT, IT WASN'T ENOUGH, WHAT HAPPENED?

>> YOU KOW, I THINK IT WAS, 3 YOU KNOW, THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION STEPPED FAR AND HARD IN MINNESOTA.

AND MINNESOTA PUSHED BACK VERY, VERY HARD.

>> AND YOU DID, SPECIFICALLY, TOO.

>> I WAS TALKING MORE ABOUT THE MAYOR AND THE GOVERNOR, YOU KNOW, AND CREATED THIS -- A LOT OF ADVERSITY, A LOT OF O -- FEAR, AND A LOT OF UNSAFE AREAS AND I THINK PEOPLE DIDN'T FORGET THAT THIS ELECTION CYCLE.

TWO THINGS CAN BE TRUE.

WE CAN BE STRONG ON IMMIGRATION AND BORDERS BUT WE ALSO NEED TO BE KIND TO PEOPLE.

AND I THINK WE LOST A LITTLE BIT OF THAT.

>> SENATOR THEY DIDN'T REMEMBER THE KINDNESS YOU TRIED TO SHOW WHEN YOU SPOKE OUT AND SAID THIS IS NOT OKAY, WHAT'S HAPPENING, WHEN YOU VOTED AGAINST YOUR CAUCUS AND FOR HOUSING AID, YOU WERE THE ONLY REPUBLICAN TO DO SO AFTER THE IMMIGRATION, THAT DIDN'T HELP.

DID YOU HEAR ABOUT IT OR TALK ABOUT IT?

>> SOME PEOPLE UNDERSTOOD.

AND I GOT 1,000 MORE VOTES THAN LAST TIME.

MANY, MANY DEMOCRATS SAY I'M VOTING ALL DEMOCRAT EXCEPT FOR YOU.

AND I HEARD ABOUT HE TRUMP ANGST, IF YOU WANT TO CALL IT, STARTING IN JULY.

I WENT TO OVER THREE QUARTERS OF THE DOORS O SAY HLLO.

AND SO ONE LADY IN PARTICULAR, SAID I VOTED FOR YOU FOUR YEARS AGO, BUT THIS YEAR, I'M VOTING ALL DEMOCRAT.

IT'S A BAD YEAR TO BE YOU.

>> OKAY, THAT'S THE SUMMARY, ISN'T IT, RIGHT THERE.

>> YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST REALLY TOO BAD.

>> I WONDER IF WHEN GOVERNOR WALZ DECIDED NOT TO RUN IF THAT TOOK AIR OUT OF THE REPUBLICAN BALLOON BECAUSE YOU WERE SET UP FOR FRAUD, AND THEN YOU NEEDED ANOTHER ISSUE, I GUESS, MAYBE TO SUPPLEMENT FRAUD.

>> I THINK THAT YOU KNOW THE GOVERNOR, I DON'T KNOW IF HE KNEW IT AT THE TIME, I THINK HE TOOK THE HEAT FOR THIS.

I WOULD HAVE EXPECTED THAT MAYBE ATTORNEY GENERAL ELLISON WOULD HAVE DONE LESS.

BUT AS YOU LOOKED AT THE VOTES THAT CAME IN THEY WERE SIMILAR ACROSS THE BOARD.

I THINK LOOKING BACK, I MEAN, I THINK A LOT OF THAT BLAME WENT ON GOVERNOR WALZ AND WE DEALT WITH SOMETHING ELSE, YOU KNOW.

>> BUT YOU MODERATES HAD MODERATES AT THE TOP OF THE TICKET FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A REALLY LONG TIME.

DID IT HELP?

>> NO.

I DON'T THINK THAT EVEN SOME PEOPLE EVEN READ THE NAMES ON THE BALLOT.

THEY JUST WENT THERE TO SEND A MESSAGE.

MY OPPONENT GOT 4,000 MORE VOTES THAN BEFORE THAN MY PREVIOUS OPPONENT IN ' 22.

AND I HEARD FROM PERSON AFTER PERSON NOT VOTING REPUBLICAN, SLAMMED THE DOOR.

A PATIENT WAS TALKING TO ME THIS MORNING AND SAID SORRY, WE'RE NOT VOTING FOR YOU.

WE'RE VOTING ALL DEMOCRAT.

HIS FRIENDS WERE, AND IT'S -- IT IS THE INTERESTING THING IS PEOPLE ARE SAYING WHAT DID REPUBLICANSES DO WROJ?

I THINK NOT MUCH DIFFERENT.

I THINK THE MESSAGE OF A FAITH AND FAMILY, LIMITED GOVERNMENT, KEEP IT OFF YOUR BACK, PUBLIC SAFETY, EDUCATION, HEALTH CARE, I THINK THOSE THINGS ARE WORKING AND IT'S STILL VALID, BUT I DON'T THINK PEOPLE UNDERSTOOD THE DEPTH OF THE UPSETNESS WITH THE PRESIDENT.

>> FROM THE TOP, FAITH, FREEDOM, FAMILY, ARE YOU GETTING THAT FROM THE TOP?

ARE TRADITIONAL CONSERVATIVE VALUES COMING FROM THE TOP, FROM WASHINGTON, AND THE PRESIDENT?

>> I DON'T SEE THAT.

YOU KNOW, AND I SEE IN MY DISTRICT, I MEAN I HAVE ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING DISTRICTS IN THE STATE, BUT IT WAS -- WHAT ARE THE SOLUTIONS?

YOU KNOW?

HEALTH CARE IS A VERY EXPENSIVE THING AND IT'S INCREASING.

WE HAVE MORE AND MORE PEOPLE ON OUR MEDICAID PROGRAMS.

WHAT ARE REPUBLICANS PUTTING OUT THERE TO TRY TO ENSURE THAT THOSE COSTS ARE COMING DOWN?

AFFORDABILITY?

WHAT DOES THAT ACTUALLY MEAN AND WHAT DO EOPLE WANT TO SEE IN THAT?

I THINK THAT'S WHERE MOVING FORWARD, I THINK THAT REPUBLICANS NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB OF EXPLAINING WHAT THAT MEANS AND HOW THAT'S COUCHED IN FAITH, FAMILY, AND FREEDOM.

>> HOW BIG OF A MESSAGE IS THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES IN AND TOP TO BOTTOM, WILL THAT BECKY: -- BE A BLOCKING POINT?

>> I FEEL LIKE THEY LOST THEIR WAY.

THE COMPASSION AND HUMANITY WAS LOST IN THE RACE TO FIND FRAUD.

THEY DID HAPHAZARD AND SUDDEN THINGS TO FIND FAUD, AND MANY GOOD PROVIDERS WENT OUT OF BUSINESS ACCORDING TO THE 3 PEOPLE THAT, THE HUMAN RIGHTS PEOPLE, FIVE PEOPLE DIED BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T GET SERVICES.

FIVE BECAUSE IN THEIR HASTE.

AND WE TALKED ABOUT HOW DO WE FOCUS ON THE BAD ACTORS, NOT THE GOOD ONES.

LET'S YOU SOCIAL SRVICES, RAM, AND OTHER COMPANIES THAT ARE REALLY GOOD.

HOW WOULD YOU FIND THE FRAUD?

THEY DID NOT DO THAT AND THEY HAVE TO PICK UP A LOT OF PIECES.

WE LOST A LOT OF GOOD PROVIDERS.

>> YOU TWO ARE EXPERTS ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.

YOU DID THE BIPARTISAN HCMC RESCUE PACKAGE WITH ESTHER ESTHER ADBADJE.

>> AN ELECTION DOESN'T MEAN THERE'S A MANDATE AGAINST BEING GOOD TO ONE ANOTHER, YOU KNOW?

I THINK PEOPLE NEED TO FIND THAT SPACE.

WILL IT BE HARD AND HARDER?

ABSOLUTELY 37 ONE SIDE DOESN'T WANT TO MOVE ANYTHING.

ANOTHER SIDE WANTS TO PUSH IT TOO FAR, AND I THINK THAT PEOPLE HAVE TO BE SUPER INTENTIONAL TODAY AND TRY TO FIND AND BUILD THOSE RELATIONSHIPS IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, WORK TOGETHER ON THOSE THINGS.

>> THE HOUSE AND SENATE TAX COMMITTEE CHAIRSS ARE TOO MANY HAPLESS LIBERALS, DOES THAT GIVE YOU PAUSE?

>> I THINK IT IS ENTERTAINING.

IT'S A GOOD TIME TO REMEMBER THERE'S NO MANDATE TO DO WHAT THEY DID.

THERE'S ANGST ABOUT $6 DIESEL AND $4 GAS, AND THE WAR, BUT IT'S NOT A GOOD TIME TO OVERREACH OR RAISE TAXES.

THE GOVERNOR ELECT IS NOT GOING TO O IT ANYWAY.

IT'S A GOOD TIME TO WORK ON WHAT IS CORE AND IF THEY WANT TO STAY IN CHARGE, KEEP TO THE CENTER.

DON'T OVERREACH, AND THAT'S MY ADVICE TO THEM.

>> DOES THE GOVERNOR ELECT POTENTIALLY NEED REPUBLICAN VOTES TO GET A NO TAX BUDGET THROUGH?

SHE KIND OF DIDN'T ENTERTAIN IT THERE BUT THAT'S POTENTIALLY THE REALITY, ISN'T IT?

>> I THINK SO.

I WOULD HOPE THAT REMEMBER I WOULD HOPE THAT REMEMPUBLICAN3 WOULD REACH OUT AND TRY TO WORK WITH THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE.

HOW CAN WE GET OUR AGENDA DONE AT THE SAME TIME AND WORK TOGETHER?

I THINK SHE WILL NEED THEM.

>> YOUR ROUDEST ACHIEVEMENT IN THE LEGISLATURE WHAT WOULD IT BE?

>> CAN JUST THE PLETHORA OF HELPING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, YOU KNOW.

THERE'S ONE THING THAT WE DID ONCE, THERE WAS A PCA THAT COULD NOT CHOOSE THE GENDER OF THEIR STAFF.

A PERSON CARE ATTENDANT, SO I PASSED A LITTLE TINY LAW THAT SAYS IF SHE WANTS A WOMAN, IF THE MAN WANTS A MAN, THEY CAN PICK THEIR OWN, ISN'T THAT CUTE?

>> REPRESENTATIVE, HOW ABOUT YOU?

>> I PROBABLY -- THE MOST SIGNIFICANT THING I WORKED ON WAS HCMC, YOU KNOW, IT WAS SUCH AN IMPORTANT ASSET TO THE STATE.

IT'S IN OUR HEALTH CARE SYSTEM AS YOU KNOW IT IS VERY FRAGILE RIGHT NOW.

SO, THAT WAS PROBABLY THE BIG THING, BUT YOU KNOW SERVING DOWN THERE, BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEOPLE, BEING CURIOUS ABOUT WHY PEOPLE THINK DIFFERENTLY THAN I D, I THINK THAT WAS -- PROBABLY THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT MEAN THE MOST.

>> OPEN TO AN APPOINTMENT TEAM OF RIVALS WITH THE ADMINISTRATION WAS FLOATED.

>> I THINK IT IS A GREAT IDEA FOR THE COMMISSIONER, THE GOVERNOR.

THIS MAN HERE WOULD BE MARVELOUS.

>> WOULD YOU TAKE THE JOB?

>> COMMISSIONER OF HUMAN SERVICES.

>> I WOULD DEFINITELY TALK ABOUT IT.

>> YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST.

>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.

>> THANKS.