>> ERIC: ON TUESDAY, ST. PAUL VOTERS IN WARD 4 WENT TO THE POLLS FOR A SPECIAL ELECTION AND CHOSE MOLLY COLEMAN TO FILL OUT THE TERM OF FORMER CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT MITRA JALALI.

COLEMAN WON MORE THAN 50% OF THE VOTE IN A FOUR-WAY RACE.

AND SHE'S CAPPING OFF HER WINNING WEEK BY JOINING US ON "ALMANAC."

WELCOME TO THE SHOW.

WHAT DID YOU HEAR FROM FOLKS AT THE DOOR IN NORTHWESTERN ST. PAUL?

>> WE HEARD A LOT.

I HEARD REPEATEDLY THAT PEOPLE LOVE OUR CITY, THAT THEY ARE VERY PROUD TO LIVE HERE, AND THAT FOLKS ARE FEELING LIKE IT IS A CHALLENGING TIME.

IN THIS MOMENT.

THEY ARE FEELING THE IMPACTS OF RISING PROPERTY TAXES.

IF THEY'RE RENTERS, THEY'RE FEELING THE IMPACTS OF RISING RENTS.

THEY ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE FINANCIAL FUTURE OF OUR CITY AND WHETHER WE WILL BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO AFFORD THE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THAT RESIDENTS OF OUR CITY RELY ON.

>> Dana: SOME OF YOUR CAMPAIGN PRIORITIES DEAL ITH SORT OF THE BREAD AND BUTTER OF CITY GOVERNMENT, YOU'RE CONCERNED ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT THE TRASH GETS TAKEN OUT, SHOVELING IS DONE.

HOUSING IS AFFORDABLE.

TALK TO US ABOUT HOW YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH SOME OF THAT ONCE YOU GET ONTO THE CITY COUNCIL.

>> DEFINITELY.

SO, YOU KNOW, TO MY MIND, WE NEED TO SHOW THAT GOVERNMENT CAN WORK.

THAT IT CAN MAKE PEOPLE'S LIVES BETTER AND THAT STARTS WITH DOING THE BASICS.

IF YOU SEE THAT GOVERNMENT CAN'T PLOW YOUR STREET, YOU I THINK START TO HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT, WELL, WHAT DO WE ACTUALLY WANT GOVERNMENT DOING?

I BELIEVE GOVERNMENT IS PART OF THE SOLUTION.

WE NEED TO PROVE THAT TO PEOPLE.

A LOT OF THAT AS A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER IS WORKING ON THE OVERSIGHT OF THE BUDGET, MAKING SURE WE ARE FUNDING THOSE PRIORITIES IF WE REALLY BELIEVE THEY ARE PRIORITIES.

EXPRESSING THE CONCERNS OF RESIDENTS OF WARD 4 AND MAKING SURE THAT THAT IS TRANSLATED INTO HOW OUR DEPARTMENTS ARE ARE RUNNING, WORKING WITH THE MAYOR'S TEAM TO DO THAT.

AND THEN WHERE NEEDED, THINKING ABOUT WHAT ARE THE POLICY CHANGES MIGHT BE NEEDED.

TO BETTER MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR RESIDENTS.

>> Eric: ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH WHAT'S HAPPENING AT SNELLING AND UNIVERSITY?

IT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE BUSIEST INTERSECTIONS IN THE STATE.

AND THERE WAS GOING TO BE SOME LIGHT RAIL WAS GOING TO HELP.

ALLIANZ STADIUM WAS GOING TO HELP.

ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH HOW IT'S GOING?

>> I AM NOT.

I DON'T THINK THERE'S A SINGLE PERSON IN WARD 4 WHO IS SATISFIED WITH WHAT WE ARE SEEING OR REALLY IN THE LARGER MIDWAY PRACTICE WHERE I LIVE RIGHT NOW.

WE HAVE AN IMMENSE AMOUNT OF DISINVESTMENT.

WE HAVE VACANT BUILDINGS.

WE HAVE NEIGHBORS IN THAT PART OF OUR CITY WHO ARE REALLY DEEPLY STRUGGLING.

SO LEAN INTO THIS SEAT, I'VE HEARD FROM PEOPLE THROUGHOUT WARD 4, NOT JUST FOLKS IN MIDWAY, THAT IT HAS TO BE A POP PRIORITY TO BRING THAT INVESTMENT, THAT VITALITY, THAT SUPPORT INTO MIDWAY FOR ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS THERE.

>> Dana: YOU CAME INTO THE RACE WITH SUPPORT FROM THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY.

DOES THAT HELP YOU CREATE SOME SORT OF SOLUTION FOR THAT AREA OR FOR OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY THAT ARE NOT SEEING THEIR BEST MOMENT RIGHT NOW?

>> I THINK SO.

SO I WAS VERY PROUD OVER THE COURSE OF THE CAMPAIGN TO HAVE SUPPORT FROM THE ST. PAUL AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, BUT ALSO FROM LABOR UNIONS, FROM FOLKS WHO HAVE BEEN IN THE COMMUNITY ADVOCATING FOR PROGRESSIVE CHANGE FOR EARS, FROM A WHOLE HOST OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE WHO WILL HAVE TO COME TOGETHER TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS OUR STRATEGY, HOW DO WE DO HARD, COMPLICATED THINGS TOGETHER?

SO I DO THINK THAT THAT IS SORT OF COALITION BUILDING, THAT WE DID OVER THE COURSE OF THE CAMPAIGN, WILL BE ESSENTIAL TO ACTUALLY DOING THE WORK MOVING FORWARD.

AND REALLY MOVING FORWARD, MIDWAY, MOVING FORWARD ALL OF WARD 4 AND ALL OF ST. PAUL.

>> Eric: WHAT IT'S LIKE CARRYING ON THE FAMILY TRADITION?

CHRIS COLE MAN MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL ELECT, IS THAT A BURDEN OR A BENEFIT?

>> IT IS SOMETHING THAT I FEEL VERY LUCKY FOR.

I THINK WE ALL LOOK UP TO OUR PARENTS AND RESPECT THE WORK THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO DO, AND SO HAVING BEEN ABLE TO SEE FIRSTHAND THE IMPACT THAT YOU CAN HAVE FOR THE CITY THAT YOU LOVE IF YOU SERVE IN LOCAL OFFICE, IF YOU REALLY DEDICATE YOURSELF TO PUBLIC SERVICE IS SOMETHING I FEEL VERY FORTUNATE FOR.

SO, YEAH, FEEL VERY LUCKY THERE.

>> Dana: SEEING YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS GOING TO THIS LINE F WORK, POLITICS, IS THAT SOMETHING YOU ALWAYS KNEW YOU WANTED TO DO?

>> ABSOLUTELY NOT.

[ Laughter ] IT WAS AN UNEXPECTED OPENING ON THE COUNCIL.

SO KIND OF A QUICK DECISION TO GET IN.

MY BACKGROUND IS AS A LAWYER.

AS A ADVOCATE.

ORGANIZER.

I THINK THAT THERE ARE MANY, MANY WAYS TO MAKE CHANGE AND TO STRENGTHEN YOUR COMMUNITY TO BUILD THE SYSTEMS THAT WILL MAKE OUR SOCIETY BETTER WORK FOR WORKING PEOPLE.

THIS FELT LIKE THE RIGHT -- THE RIGHT ROLE AT THIS TIME.

>> Eric: WHEN ARE YOU SWORN IN?

>> IT WILL BE AUGUST 27TH.