AND I THINK THIS MONTH -- WITH THE CONVENTION AND IN NOVEMBER.

>> Eric: SO MUCH TO UNPACK HEADING INTO THE -- ELECTION SO LET'S JUMP RIGHT IN.

REPUBLICANS UP FIRST TONIGHT.

ANNETTE MEEKS, FORMER CONGRESSIONAL STAFFER, REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR CANDIDATE, NOW HEADS UP THE FREEDOM FOUNDATION OF MINNESOTA.

BRYAN MCDANIEL, NOW A LOBBYIST AND STANDUP COMIC.

D.F.L.ERS, ABOU AMARA, LEGISLATIVE STAFFER HAS ATTORNEY IN PRACTICE, AND POLICY DIRECTOR AT UNIDOS MINNESOTA.

I THINK PEOPLE WERE EXPECTING LESS AND GOT MORE OUT OF THIS SESSION.

HOW DOES IT SET UP THE FALL CAMPAIGN?

>> WELL, I MEAN, YOU'VE HEARD ME ON THIS COUCH SAY, AH, THEY'RE NOT DOIN' ANYTHING, THEY DON'T WANT TO GET ANYTHING DONE.

THEY ACTUALLY ENDED UP GETTING MORE DONE THAN I THINK MOST OF US THOUGHT.

NOW, THE BAR WAS SET REALLY LOW.

BUT I THINK THEY DID EXCEED IT AND THERE WERE SOME THINGS I THINK THEY ACTUALLY DID GAD WORK.

I THINK WHAT THEY DID ON HCMC WAS GOOD WORK.

I THINK IT WASN'T JUST A BAND-AID, THEY DID A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN THAT.

THE BONDING BILL WAS GOOD.

SO DO I THINK IT'S GOING TO HAVE MUCH IMPACT ON THE SESSION?

NO.

I MEAN ON, THE ELECTION, NO.

>> Cathy: YOU MENTION HCMC WHICH IS A GOOD THING BUT IT'S A TEMPORARY FIX.

THE TAB DECREASE, THAT'S A TEMPORARY FIX.

THE PROPERTY TAX RELIEF, THAT'S ALSO A TEMPORARY FIX.

I THINK VOTERS DON'T KNOW THAT THIS IS ALL KIND OF TEMPORARY.

AND SO AWMAKERS HAVE KIND OF KICKED THOSE PROBLEMS DOWN THE ROAD.

IS THAT A PROBLEM?

>> IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY.

I THINK SOME OF THOSE ISSUES, MIGHT BE A BAND-AID SHORT-TERM, I SUSPECT NEXT SESSION REGARDLESS OF WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE THE TAB ISSUE IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE A PRESSURE POINT.

I THINK IT'S SOMETHING PEOPLE VISCERALLY FEEL.

I ANTICIPATE THESE ONE-TIME ISSUES BEING TAKEN UP AGAIN NEXT SESSION.

>> I THINK IT GIVES US INTERESTING CONTRAST BETWEEN REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS IN THE ELECTION.

TAB FEES RAISED BY A D.F.L.

MAJORITY IN A TRIFECTA.

IF WE WANT THAT AGAIN TO KEEP THE TAB FEES HIGH YOU KNOW WHO TO VOTE FOR.

IF YOU THINK THEY'RE OUTRAGEOUS LIKE I DO, YOU KNOW WHO TO VOTE FOR.

I THINK THAT'S A GOOD DISCUSSION FOR US TO HAVE GOING INTO NOVEMBER.

>> Eric: GO AHEAD, PLEASE.

>> WELL, I -- THANK YOU.

SO THERE IS THAT BUT THERE WERE SOME HUGE MISSES, RIGHT?

LIKE -- COME BACK WITH A TRIFECTA WE'RE GOING TO FIND LIKE A LONG-TERM OLUTION FOR ALL THESE PROBLEMS.

THAT'S THE BEST THAT WILL HAPPEN LIKE WITH A IVIDED HOUSE.

>> Eric: LET'S PLAY RANK THE ISSUES.

FRAUD, IMMIGRATION AND GUNS.

WHAT'S THE ORDER?

>> FRAUD, FRAUD, AND FRAUD.

I'VE SEEN POLLING, I MEAN, IT IS OFF THE CHARTS IN TERMS OF PEOPLE'S CONCERNS AND THE THING THAT THEY WANT SOMEBODY TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT AND WHAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY IS LIKE THROWING A MATCH TO KINDLING.

>> BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE POLLING FRAUD IS A TOP ISSUE BUT ACTUALLY DOESN'T BREAK OUT, MEANING PEOPLE ARE GOING TO SUPPORT REPUBLICANS SUPERMAJORITY, WHY?

BECAUSE YOU HAVE A CONSENSUS, THIS IS NOT AN ISSUE WHERE THERE'S A DEBATE, EVERYBODY AGREES FRAUD IS WRONG.

AMY KLOBUCHAR IS LEANING INTO IT, HER PROSECUTORIAL EXPERIENCE AND SAYING I'M GOING TO BE UNIQUELY POSITIONED TO TAKE ON THIS ISSUE.

REALLY THE ISSUE COMING OUT OF SESSION THAT'S GOING TO ACTIVATE VOTERS IS THE GUN ISSUE.

YOU SAW ANNUNCIATION PATIENTS, SUBURBAN MOMS, SAME COALITION OF FOLKS THAT REPUBLICANS NEED TO WIN THAT THEY CAN'T BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE.

>> AND FOR -- FRAUD IS HAPPENING ALL ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.

THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE SAID IT THEMSELVES, IT'S APPENING IN MULTIPLE STATES, THAT'S WHY THEY HAD THE TASK FORCE.

BUT IT COMES TO ISSUES THAT ARE ACTUALLY TOUCHING FAMILIES AND MINNESOTANS, ISSUES THAT ARE FRESH IS RESPONSE TO FEDERAL OCCUPATION AND GUN SAFETY.

>> Eric: DID ANNUNCIATION TURN VOTERS INTO ONE-ISSUE VOTERS ON THE GUN ISSUE?

>> I REALLY DON'T THINK SO.

ABU IS SHAKING HIS HEAD YES AND THAT'S NOT BECAUSE T'S NOT AN IMPORTANT ISSUE.

YOU KNOW, I HAVE CONNECTIONS TO ANNUNCIATION AS WELL AND TALKED TO THEM THROUGHOUT THE SESSION.

BUT I THINK THAT IT'S -- LIKE WITH ABORTION, PEOPLE HAVE MADE UP THEIR MIND ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.

SO I THINK THIS IS AN IMPORTANT THING.

I THINK IT DOES LIKE ABU SAID MAYBE IT HARDER FOR REPUBLICANS TO WIN IN SUBURBS BUT I DON'T THINK THERE ARE A WIDE SWATH OF PEOPLE WALKING AROUND NOT KNOWING HOW THEY'RE GOING TO VOTE.

>> I MEAN, SPEAKER DEMUTH PROMISED THERE WAS GOING TO BE A CONVERSATION ABOUT IT ON THE FLOOR AND NOT BRINGING THIS ONTO THE FLOOR SHE HAS LOST ALL CREDIT.

>> Eric: SHE DENIES THAT OF COURSE.

>> THE -- SORRY.

>> PART OF THE PROBLEM IS THE WAY THE GUN LEGISLATION -- ONE SIDE WHO REALLY OWN GUNS OR UNDERSTOOD THE ISSUE THEY JUST WROTE A BILL OUT OF FEAR AND THAT'S NOT A GOOD WAY TO PASS A BIPARTISAN BILL.

>> OH, SORRY.

>> IT WAS POORLY WRITTEN, POORLY CRAFTED, POORLY THOUGHT OUT AND THAT'S WHY IT WAS REJECTED.

>> THESE IDEAS HAVE BEEN VETTED.

FOR YEARS.

THESE ALONE NEW IDEAS.

>> RIGHT.

>> DEMANDING FOR YEARS AND WHY IS IT SO SALIENT?

IT'S NOT JUST A LEFT-RIGHT ISSUE, THESE ARE PARENTS, EVERYDAY PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT CONCERNED ABOUT THE POLITICAL WINS OF THE RIGHT OR THE LEFT, THEY'RE SAYING I WANT WHAT'S BEST FOR MY CHILDREN.

YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A COALITION OF NOT SO IN THE KNOW PEOPLE WHO ARE ACTIVATED ON THIS ISSUE.

>> WELL, AND THERE WAS, THERE WAS MIDDLE GROUND.

THERE WERE THINGS THERE WHERE THEY COULD HAVE GOTTEN REPUBLICANS TO VOTE WITH THEM ON THAT KIND OF CREATES A CULTURE, LOOK, WE CAN VOTE TOGETHER AND WE CAN DO THESE THINGS.

IT WASN'T GOING TO BE ENOUGH FOR SOME PEOPLE AND I TOTALLY GET THAT.

BUT WHAT ENDED UP HAPPENING WITH THE GUN BILLS IS NOT ANY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT ALL 201 MEMBERS OF THAT LEGISLATURE KNEW WAS GOING TO HAPPEN.

THIS IS IMPORTANT, BUT NO ONE'S VOTE WAS GOING TO BE SWAYED ONCE -- IF IT GOT ON THE FLOOR AS AN ACTUAL BILL AS OPPOSED TO HOW THEY ACTUALLY DID DEBATE IT.

>> Cathy: DIFFERENT TOPIC.

NEXT WEEKEND, CONVENTIONS.

STATE POLITICAL CONVENTIONS AND I'M WONDERING, DOES ANYONE STILL CARE ABOUT THESE THINGS?

SERIOUSLY.

>> SADLY 2,000 REPUBLICANS WILL BE ASSEMBLED IN DULUTH AND WE HAVE TO CARE ABOUT IT.

IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.

WE HAVEN'T WON STATEWIDE IN 0 YEARS, WE HAVE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY WITH LISA DEMUTH AND MICHELLE TAFOYA AND IF WE CAN NOMINATE THEM OMING OUT OF THE CONVENTION AND HAVE SMOOTH SAILING 'TIL AUGUST AND SURVIVE ALL THE INTERPARTY CHATTER WITH TWO STRONG WOMEN, I THINK IT WILL REALLY HELP US.

>> Cathy: DO ENDORSEMENTS MATTER?

>> I THINK A LITTLE BIT.

BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I ENDORSE EVERYTHING ANNETTE JUST SAID BUT THERE ARE PEOPLE ON THE REPUBLICAN SIDE WHO ARE RUNNING FOR OFFICE WHO ARE NOT FIT TO DO SO.

THEY DO NOT REFLECT GOOD ON REPUBLICANS -- AND SO I THINK THAT IF THOSE PEOPLE GET ENDORSED -- PEOPLE THAT THE PARTY SO FAR, THAT MIGHT NOT BE COMING BACK.

>> AGAINST THE BACKDROP OF A FEDERAL OCCUPATION THIS YEAR A BUNCH OF THE DELEGATES ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE NEVER PARTICIPATED IN DEMOCRACY BEFORE.

SO, YES, A BUNCH OF PEOPLE ARE ACTIVATED AND TRACKING ISSUES VERY, VERY CLOSELY.

>> Eric: CRAIG VERSUS FLANAGAN FOR SENATE ENDORSEMENT?

>> I THINK FLANAGAN'S GOING TO GET IT.

>> PEGGY HAS IT, SHE HAS THE STRUCTURAL -- AT THE CONVENTION.

HER QUESTION IS NOT ABOUT THAT, IT'S ABOUT THE PRIMARY.

IN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY GOING BACK TO 2010 STATEWIDE FOR GOVERNOR AND IN THIS CASE I THINK SENATE, THE PERSON WHO ACTUALLY GETS THE ENDORSEMENT -- THE FAVORITE, QUOTE UNQUOTE GOING INTO THE PRIMARY, WHY?

BECAUSE THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY VOTERS I THINK ARE IDEOLOGICALLY SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT THAN THE PEOPLE WHO SHOW UP TO CONVENTIONS AND CAUCUSES.

THOSE ARE NOT THE SAME.

THERE'S A VENN DIAGRAM DAILY BUT THEY'RE CLEARLY TWO DIFFERENT GROUPS OF PEOPLE.

>> WOULD HAVE SAID THAT LIKE BEFORE THIS WINTER.

AND AFTER THIS WINTER I THINK THAT PEOPLE ARE MUCH MORE INVOLVED.

AND I THINK MONEY IS IMPORTANT IN POLITICS BUT THE ORGANIZING INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S GOING TO KEEP IT TO THE END AND I THINK PEGGY HAS A HUGE ADVANTAGE.

>> Eric: AMY KLOBUCHAR'S RUNNING MATE IS?

>> AH!

>> GREAT REVEAL, MAYBE?

>> Eric: JOHN HOFFMAN.

>> WHAT?

>> Cathy: THIS IS SPECULATION.

>> Eric: HAS ANYBODY ELSE HEARD?

>> THIS JUST IN, THIS JUST IN.

>> WELL, I THINK HE'S A TERRIFIC LEGISLATOR, HE'S UNTESTED RUNNING STATEWIDE AND I THINK THAT SHE WOULD BE WISE MAYBE TO LOOK TO HER LEFT FLANK THAT HAS -- SHE DIDN'T SHOW UP AT THE SECOND DISTRICT CONVENTION, SHE DIDN'T SHOW UP AT THE FIFTH DISTRICT CONVENTION.

THE DELEGATES WOULDN'T LLOW HER IN THE SECOND DISTRICT CONVENTION TO PLAY HER VIDEOS.

SHE HAS PROBLEMS WITH HER HARD LEFT FLANK AND I THINK I WOULD BE LOOKING THERE RATHER THAN SUBURBAN DEMOCRAT LEGISLATOR.

>> LIKE VICE PRESIDENT, THE FIRST RULE IS DO NO HARM.

THIS IS AMY KLOBUCHAR, IT DOESN'T MATTER -- I MEAN IT, MATTERS TO THE PEOPLE OF MINNESOTA BUT PRACTICALLY SHE'S NEVER LOST AN ELECTION, DOMINATES REPUBLICANS CONSISTENTLY.

IF I WERE HER I WOULD PICK SOMEONE, ONE, WHEN DO YOU ACTUALLY GET ALONG WITH AND WHO DO YOU WANT TO GOVERN WITH AND SECOND WHO HAS RELATIONSHIPS IN THE STATE CAPITOL BECAUSE SHE'S BEEN IN D.C.

FOR SO LONG.

>> Cathy: BRYAN.

>> I THINK SHE, SENATOR KLOBUCHAR NEEDS TO SHOW US HOW SKILLED A POLITICIAN SHE IS AND CHOOSE ROYCE WHILE AS HER RUNNING MATE.

[ LAUGHTER ] IF SHE CAN OVERCOME THAT, SHE EARNED IT.

>> Eric: WE HEAR AG COMMISSIONER PETERSEN.

SENATOR FROM ST.

CLOUD?

>> WE HAVE HEARD EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING.

LIKE EVERYBODY.

TEXTS -- IT'S LIKE PRETTY PHRENETIC EXCITING WAIT.

>> Cathy: DO ALL OF YOU BY THE WAY DO YOU ALL ATTEND CONVENTIONS?

>> I'LL BE THERE.

>> WE DO EVERYTHING.

>> MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR.

>> I'LL BE IN DULUTH.

>> ALL RIGHT, SEE YOU