>> CATHY: ANOTHER BUSY POLITICAL WEEK IN WASHINGTONM D.C., AND BACK HERE IN MINNESOTA SO LET'S DIVE RIGHT IN WITH THIS WEEK'S VERSION OF OUR POLITICAL PANEL.

REPUBLICANS ON THE COUCH TONIGHT, FRITZ KNAAK IS A FORMER STATE SENATOR AND PRACTICING ATTORNEY.

JEN DEJOURNETT IS A POLITICAL OPERATIVE AND VETERAN OF CAMPAIGNS.

DEMOCRATS ON THE COUCH TONIGHT, ABOU AMARA, FORMER LEGISLATIVE STAFFER, AND ALSO AN ATTORNEY.

AND WE WELCOME BACK FORMER STATE SENATOR EMBER REICHGOTT JUNGE.

WHO'S ALSO AN ATTORNEY.

GOOD TO SIGH EVERYBODY HERE.

JEN, LET'S TALK ABOUT THE U.S. HOUSE SPEAKERSHIP CHAOTIC MISS.

JIM JORDAN EVIDENTLY SEVERED THE NOMINATION, IS HE GOING TO USE THE WEEKEND TO WIN OVER VOTES?

>> YEAH, YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE IS A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS THAT THEY HAVE TO HAVE.

THEY HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW THEY'RE ALL GOING TO WORK TOGETHER, HOW THE NEW RULES ARE GOING TO GO, HOW ARE THEY GOING TO DECIDE.

I MEAN, THERE ARE SOME SERIOUS THINGS THAT ARE ON THE PLATE THAT WE HAVE TO WORK THROUGH AND I HOPE THAT HE SPENDS HIS TIME, LIKE, HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS.

IF NOT, WELL, THEN, THE NEXT PERSON UP ONLINE HAS TO, LIKE, START THAT PROCESS, TOO, SO I HOPE THEY ALL HAVE COOLER HEADS, PICK SOMEONE WHO'S GOING TO LEADS AND LET'S GO.

I MEAN, WE DON'T HAVE MUCH TIME TO WASTE.

>> Eric: DOES THIS HAVE LASTING POLITICAL SIGNIFICANCE FOR 2024 OR IS IT SOMETHING THAT WILL E GONE WITH THE WIND WHEN THE CYCLE GETS GOING?

>> I WISH.

I WISH.

SOMETHING LIKE THAT WILL BE CHANNELING REGARDLESS AND THEY KNOW IT.

I THINK THE SOONER THEY GETS THROUGH THIS PROBLEM THE BETTER, AS FAR AS REPUBLICANS ARE CONCERNED.

YOU'RE RIGHT, THERE ARE 8 PEOPLE THAT ARE INTRACTABLE, THEY'VE KIND OF PAINTED THEMSELVES INTO A CORNER, I DON'T KNOW HAT THEY CAN GIVE EVEN THOUGH YOU'VE GOT A SPEAKER POTENTIALLY THAT WOULD BE MORE IN THEIR CORNER THAN ANYBODY ELSE'S, IT'S OING TO BE A TOUGH THING FOR THEM TO GET TOO.

>> JIM JORDAN WILL NOT BE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE, IT'S PRETTY SIMPLE.

HE IS A FACTIONABLE EXTREME CANDIDATE IN AN EXTREME CAUCUS IN AN EXTREME HOUSE.

THERE'S NO WAY HE'S GOING TO HAVE THE VOTES IN MY OPINION, SO I THINK YOU'LL SEE SOMEBODY ELSE STANDS UP, PEOPLE WE HAVEN'T HEARD OF SO I THINK THIS IS A QUESTION FOR VOTERS GOING INTO THE NEXT ELECTION, HOW CAN REPUBLICANS GOVERN IF THEY CAN'T GOVERN THEIR OWN CAUCUS?

>> Cathy: SENATOR.

>> JIM JORDAN IS A DISRUPTER SO, NO, I DON'T THINK HE CAN MAKE IT.

THE LAST THREE REPUBLICAN SPEAKERS HAVE TRIED TO GOVERN AND THEY HAVE BEEN FORCED OUT.

I DON'T THINK THERE IS AN INDIVIDUAL IN THAT CONFERENCE THAT CAN GET 217 VOTES, AND I'M HEARING MORE REPUBLICANS -- REPUBLICAN LEADERS SAYING, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WORK WITH DEMOCRATS, AND IF THEY DO THAT, THEY CAN BRING DEMOCRATS TO HE TABLE.

BUT IF WE DON'T DO THAT, E'VE GOT ALL THESE SERIOUS ISSUES OUT THERE THAT HAVE TO BE ADDRESSED AND THE TIME IS ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL.

>> Jearlyn: WHY ARE WE NOT HEARING MUCH FROM TOM EMMER?

HE'S NUMBER 3 RIGHT NOW AND WE ARE TO UNDERSTAND THAT HE WAS KIND OF LOOKING AT BEING MAJORITY LEADER BUT HE'S FAIRLY QUIET RIGHT NOW.

>> WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I'M GLAD THAT HE'S NOT OUT RIGHT NOW.

YOU KNOW, A SIGN OF A THOUGHTFUL LEADER IS SOMEBODY WHO SITS BACK AND TAKES IT IN AND HAS THOSE CONVERSATIONS BUT, TO BE HONEST, TOM EMMER IS GOOD OR MINNESOTA.

IT'S GOOD TO HAVE OUR HOMETOWN GUY EVEN IN PART OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND AT THE TABLE REGARDLESS OF WHAT CHAIR IT IS, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT HE'S GOING TO WORK TO BENEFIT ALL OF MINNESOTA AND WORK REALLY HARD FOR ALL OF US.

>> Cathy: COULD HE -- I WAS TALKING TO DEAN PHILLIPS, CONGRESSMAN PHILLIPS EARLIER THIS WEEK ON MPR, AND CONGRESSMAN PHILLIPS FLOATED, CONGRESSMAN EMMER AS A POSSIBLE HOUSE SPEAKER CANDIDATE?

>> I THINK HE'S A VIABLE CANDIDATE AND HE TOOK A LESSON FROM PAUL RYAN.

IF YOU REMEMBER A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, BEFORE PAUL RYAN BECAME SPEAKER, HE SAID I DON'T WANT THE JOB, AND THAT ALLOWED HIM TO GET LEVERAGE IN NEGOTIATIONS OVER THE RULES AND OVER OTHER MEASURES INSIDE OF THE HOUSE SO WHOEVER THESE GOING TO BE, THEY'RE GOING TO NEED SOME LEVERAGE TO CHANGE THOSE RULINGS BECAUSE WHAT YOU DON'T WANTS IS TO HAVE ONE REPUBLICAN BE ABLE TO KNOCK YOU OUT OF THE SPEAKERSHIP AND SO I THINK HE FARTHER HE DRAGS OUT AND SAYS NO, NO, NO, AS OTHER CANDIDATES FALL, IT MIGHT POSITION HIM ELL NOT JUST TO WIN BUT TO CHANGES THE RULINGS.

>> YOU GOT TO UNDERSTAND THIS WHOLE THING IS LIKE A SQUARE DANCE ON VERY THIN ICE AND THE SMART DANCER IS GOING TO BE THE ONE SITTING -- THE WALLFLOWER WHO'S GETTING AWAY FROM THE CENTER AND THAT'S THE GAME THAT HE'S PLAYING, I GET IT, AND HE'S VERY SKILLED AT IT, THAT'S HOW HE GOT WHERE HE IS, AND, YOU KNOW, PHILLIPS IS A FELLOW MINNESOTAN, IT'S KIND OF NICE TO THINK THAT A GOOD MINNESOTA-NICE PERSON COULD SIGNED OF SOOT THE PROBLEMS SOOTHE THE PROBLEMS IN THAT CAUCUS.

IT'S NOT TOO LIKELY, TOM IS SKILLED BUT I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY SOMETHING HE SHOULDN'T DO.

>> HE LAST -- WELL, GO AHEAD.

>> Eric: IF DEAN PHILLIPS DOESN'T RUN FOR HIS SEAT, RON HARRIS IS IN THERE FOR A PRIMARY, STEVE SIMON SAID HE WOULD BE INTERESTED, KELLY MORRISON, STATE SENATOR.

HOW LONG WOULD THE LINE BE FOR A PRIMARY OR ENDORSEMENT FIGHT IF PHILLIPS IS NOT IN THE EQUATION?

>> IF E'S NOT IN THE EQUATION OR -- >> Eric: IF HE RUNS FOR PRESIDENTS OR -- >> ABSOLUTELY, THERE WOULD BE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THAT RACE BECAUSE IT'S VERY MUCH A PURPLE DISTRICT AND THERE ARE SOME REALLY GOOD CANDIDATES BUT I WANT TO SAY ONE THING ABOUT TOM EMMER AND THAT IS THIS, HE CAN'T WIN BECAUSE HE DIDN'T SUPPORT -- RUMP IS WORKING AGAINST HIM AND HE VOTED TO CERTIFY THE LECTION.

>> YOU KNOW, ACTUALLY, I HOPE THE DEMOCRATS GETS INTO A BIG FIGHT ABOUT CD3 BECAUSE I THINK IF PHILLIPS DECIDES TO MOVE ON, THAT SEAT CAN E VIABLE, THERE IS A PATH THERE.

I KNOW IT SOUNDS RIDICULOUS BUT IT IS AS SOMEONE WHO KNOWS THAT DISTRICT VERY, VERY WELL.

BUT TO BE HONEST, I THINK PHILLIPS IS GOING TO RUN AGAIN AND I THINK EVERYONE SHOULD TOWN DOWN THE RECEIPT RICK AND GET DOWN TO BUSINESS.

>> Cathy, O.AGAIN, TALKED TO HIM EARLIER IN THE WEEK AND HE SAYS HE'S GOING TO ANNOUNCE.

WHY IS HE DOING THIS?

I MIGHT RUN, I MIGHT NOT RUN.

WHAT'S GOING ON?

>> SO FOR MANY IT'S CONFUSING.

I THINK AS SOMEONE WHO HE KNOWS HIM, I THINK HE SINCERELY BELIEFS, IT'S A SINGE CERTAINLY HELD BELIEF AND SOMEONE TAKING ON THAT MUCH FLACK IN THE PARTIES WOULD NOT A DO SO UNLESS THEY BELIEVE THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE A PROBLEM AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL WINNING AN ELECTION AND HE THINKS HE'S A PART OF HELPING THE ELECTION.

>> Eric: WHILE THE CAMERA IS ON YOU, I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT THE DEMOCRATS.

CITY COUNCIL, IS THE THING NOW WHO'S FOR TERRORISM AND WHO'S NOT?

>> WE'VE GOT THE LEFT AND THE PEOPLE ON THE FAR LEFT AND THE PEOPLE DOWN THE STREET ON THE LEFT.

IT'S FIGHTING AMONG FAMILY, AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT WON'T RADICALLY CHANGE THINGS, THERE ARE SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS PARTICULARLY IN SOUTH MINNEAPOLIS THAT MAY BE AN ISSUE BUT I'M NOT CONCERNED IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS IF YOU LOOK AT WHO CONTROLS THE CITY, IT'S OVERWHELMINGLY THE SCENTS POSITION.

>> Eric: YOU'RE KIND OF A MODERATE DEMOCRAT, WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF IS THIS?

>> WE'RE BOTH FROM MINNEAPOLIS BUT WHAT I MAKE OF THIS IS THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS COULD VERY MUCH EXPERIENCE A MAJOR SHIFT IN THIS COMING ELECTION.

THERE IS A GROUP THAT'S WORKING TO SHIFT THE MAJORITY TO THE LEFT, MUCH MORE THAN IT IS NOW.

THEY WOULD NOT BE ALIGNED WITH MAYOR FREY'S AGENDA SO THERE IS ALSO ANOTHER GROUP THAT IS TRYING TO MAINTAIN THE BALANCE IN MINNEAPOLIS, KEEPING PEOPLE IN THE VEIN OF LISA GOODMAN WHO IS STEPPING DOWN.

SO THIS IS GOING TO BE A MAJOR ELECTION IN MINNEAPOLIS AS FAR AS ITS FUTURE.

ARE WE GOING TO GO WAY TO THE LEFT OR ARE WE GOING TO MAINTAIN THE BALANCE?

>> IN MANY WAYS, IT WILL BE A RELITIGATION OF WHAT HAPPENED IN 2021, PUBLIC SAFETY IS GOING TO BE FRONTS AND CENTER AND I THINK WHEN YOU POLL THAT ISSUE, OVERWHELMINGLY THE PEOPLE OF MINNESOTA ARE GOING TO LEAN TOWARDS WHAT WE CALL THE FRY COALITION.

>> WELL, YOU HOPE BUT MINNEAPOLIS IS MINNEAPOLIS AND I'VE NEVER SEEN IT STOP GOING LEFTWARD.

WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

>> Eric: SCHOOL BOARDS ELECTIONS COMING UP, YOU HAVE THE MINNESOTA PARENTS ALLIANCE ON THE CONSERVATIVE SIDE, MINNESOTA SCHOOL BOARD INTEGRITY PROJECT ON THE LIBERAL SIDE.

HOW DOES THAT PLAY OUT?

>> WHAT I'VE SEEN IS A RESURGENCE OF THE PEOPLE ON THE GRASS ROOTS LEVEL WANTING TO GET INVOLVED IN POLITICS AND WANTING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON FOR THEIR CHILDREN'S EDUCATION OR IN THEIR CITY OR EVEN BOND QUESTIONS.

YOU KNOW WHAT'S SURPRISING IS MOST PEOPLE ACROSS THE STATE OF MINNESOTA DON'T REALIZE THAT THEY EVEN HAVE AN ELECTION ON THE BALLOT THIS YEAR WHICH IS AWFUL, RIGHT?

WE WANT PEOPLE TO VOTE REGARDLESS OF WHETHER I AGREE WITH THEM OR NOT SO I THINK ALL THOSE GROUPS WORKING TO MAKE SURE THAT, ONE, PEOPLE ARE AWARE THAT THERE IS ELECTIONS, NUMBER TWO, GROUPS LIKE THE ONES I'M AFFILIATED WITH, ALSO RAISING THE AWARENESS, CHECK YOUR BALLOT, GO TO MNVOTES.ORG, CHECK TO SEE IF YOU HAVE AN ELECTION.

I DIDN'T REALIZE I HAD A BOND QUESTION ON MY BALLOTS UNTIL I WAS DOING A TRAINING AS I CROSS THE STATE, TEACHING PEOPLE JUST BASIC SKILLS ABOUT ELECTIONS AND I LOOKED IT UP AND I WENT, HEY, I HAVE A BOND QUESTION AND THERE HAD BEEN NO FEAR GIVEN.

THAT'S REALLY POOR.

>> THE KICKER HERE IS OUTSIDE FUNDING, THAT'S WHAT YOU GOT TO WATCH FOR.

THERE IS A LOT OF