ENGAGING.

>> ERIC: AS WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING TONIGHT, THE LONGEST FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN IN AMERICAN HISTORY CAME TO AN END THIS WEEK.

BUT LOOSE ENDS REGARDING HEALTHCARE, SOCIAL SERVICES, WORKER BACKPAY AND MORE REMAIN.

NEITHER PARTY EMERGED AS A CLEAR "WINNER" IN THE WEEKS-LONG STANDOFF.

TIME FOR THIS WEEK'S POLITICAL PANEL TO WEIGH IN.

DEMOCRATS UP FIRST.

EMBER REICHGOTT JUNGE IS A FORMER STATE SENATOR AND CAUCUS LEADER.

JAVIER MORILLO IS A LONGTIME UNION AND PARTY ACTIVIST AND A FORMER DNC NATIONAL COMMITTEE MAN.

REPUBLICANS HERE.

AMY FREDERIKSEN IS A FORMER STATE SENATE MAJORITY LEADER, NOW A LOBBYIST.

AND PREYA SAMSUNDAR IS A GOP STRATEGIST AND A FORMER COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR FOR THE RNC AND THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN.

GLAD WE GOT SENATORS ON THE COUCH, BECAUSE THERE'S A TURNSTILE THERE GOING IN AND OUT WITH ALL THE SPECIAL ELECTIONS.

>> RIGHT.

NOW WE'VE GOT A COUPLE MORE COMING UP, RIGHT?

I MEAN, NOW THEY'LL BE IN THE HOUSE, BUT IT'S BEEN -- IT'S BEEN -- SO LAST YEAR -- OR THIS 2025 IS TIED FOR THE MOST SPECIAL ELECTIONS.

BUT WE'LL HAVE TWO MORE BECAUSE OF THE LATEST ELECTION NOW.

SO THAT OPENED UP THE WOODBURY SEAT FOR THE STATE REP AND THEN THE MAYORAL RACE HERE IN St.

PAUL CHANGED THINGS UP FOR THAT DISTRICT.

>> Eric: WELL, WITH ALL OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF 2025, I WONDER IF WE'RE GOING TO SEE MORE RETIREMENTS AND PEOPLE NOT RUNNING AGAIN.

>> I BET YOU WILL.

AND I THINK THAT WILL HAPPEN ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL TOO OVERALL.

I DON'T KNOW WHO MIGHT WANT TO SERVE THESE DAYS.

IT'S REALLY HARD.

AND IT'S VERY POLITICAL.

ON THE OTHER HAND, MAYBE WE CAN GET TO THE OTHER SIDE OF IT.

I LIKE THE ENACT WE HAVE NEW, FRESH ENERGY COMING INTO BOTH HOUSES.

THAT'S GOOD.

>> Cathy: YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOSING FOLKS LIKE SENATOR PAPPAS, THOUGH, WHO'S BEEN AROUND FOR HOW MANY YEARS NOW, 42.

>> YEAH.

>> Cathy: YOU KNOW, SHE KNOWS -- SHE KNOWS WHERE ALL THE BODIES ARE BURIED.

YOU KNOW?

>> Eric: SHE'S ON THE BONDING COMMITTEE, WHICH IS VERY PRESTIGIOUS.

>> Cathy: EXACTLY.

>> YEAH.

>> NOT TO MENTION SENATOR REST.

>> SENATOR REST ON THE TAX COMMITTEE.

>> LONGSTANDING LEGISLATORS WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED A GREAT DEAL, LOSING A LOT OF INSTITUTIONAL MEMORY.

>> Eric: WHAT DID YOU THINK OF SPEAKER DEMUTH NAMING HER RUNNING MATE AS SHE SEEKS THE REPUBLICAN NOMINATION?

>> I THINK IT'S KIND OF EXPECTED.

I FEEL LIKE 2026, YOU KNOW, THE LEADUP TO 2026 AND CONVENTION, IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENT BALL GAME.

I THINK A LOT OF FOLKS LOOKED AT 2024, WHAT HAPPENED WITH OUR CONVENTION THEN, THEY LOOKED AT 2022, AND THIS IKE WEIRD BROKERAGE THAT HAPPENED WITH A CANDIDATE THAT NOBODY EXPECTED WOULD HAVE ANY SORT OF WIELDING POWER AT CONVENTION, AND I THINK NOW WITH THE SET OF CANDIDATES THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW, YOU HAVE A LOT OF GREAT CANDIDATES WITH A LOT OF EXTENSIVE BACKGROUNDS.

EVERYONE'S TRYING TO DIFFERENTIATE THEMSELVES AND, SO, UNLIKE PAST YEARS AND PAST CONVENTIONS, WHERE FOLKS WAITED UNTIL CONVENTION OR MAYBE A LITTLE AFTER TO ANNOUNCE AND DECIDE WHO THEIR RUNNING MATE WAS GOING TO BE, I THINK DEMUTH IS TAKING THAT STEP OF SAYING, HEY, THIS IS MY RUNNING MATE, THIS IS WHAT WE OFFER TOGETHER AS A TICKET, AND I ALSO THINK IN SOME RESPECTS, IT'S GIVING HER A LITTLE BIT OF BUY-IN ITH THE DELEGATES WHO MAYBE SEE HER AS ESTABLISHMENT, JUST BECAUSE OF HER PRESTIGE AS HOUSE SPEAKER, BEING IN THE LEGISLATURE, THAT WOULD TYPICALLY BE AN ISSUE WITH THE DELEGATES THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW, CONVENTION GOERS THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW FROM AN ESTABLISHMENT PERSPECTIVE.

AND I THINK SHE JUST SETTING SOME STONES, SETTING SOME MARKERS IN PLACE TO OFFSET THAT.

>> Cathy: DOES HER RUNNING MATE ALLOW HER THEN FOCUS ON THE HOUSE AS HE GOES OUT CAMPAIGNING, PERHAPS?

>> I WOULD IMAGINE SO.

I THINK SPEAKER DEMUTH WILL BE A STRONG CANDIDATE.

AND DEMOCRATS WILL NEED TO TAKE HER SERIOUSLY AND TAKE THE TICKET SERIOUSLY.

>> Cathy: DOES IT ADD, THOUGH, A LEVEL OF -- I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THE WORD MIGHT BE -- A LITTLE BIT -- FEELS A LITTLE ODD, MAYBE, WITH THE SESSION -- WOULD THE SESSION BE A LITTLE DIFFERENT WITH THE SPEAKER RUNNING?

>> CERTAINLY THE SESSION WILL BE A LITTLE DIFFERENT, RIGHT.

REPRESENTATIVE HARRY NISKA, THE MAJORITY LEADER, WILL TAKE A LARGER ROLE.

SO I THINK THIS IS, IN PART, TO SHARE THE LOAD A BIT.

BUT ALSO, THIS IS A SMART MOVE.

THIS IS A VERY SMART MOVE.

FROM A CAMPAIGN THAT GOT IN A LITTLE LATER, THEY'RE HITTING THE GROUND RUNNING IN A REALLY BIG WAY.

HE REALLY OFFSET -- HE, LIKE, COMPLIMENTS HER IN A NICE WAY.

HE'S FROM GREATER MINNESOTA -- SHE'S FROM GREATER MINNESOTA, COLD SPRING, HE'S ROM THE SUBURBS, HE'S BEEN AROUND THE DELEGATES FOR FOUR YEARS, HE STAYED INSIDE REPUBLICAN POLITICS.

HE KNOWS REPUBLICAN DONORS.

AND, SO, IT'S JUST -- I THINK IT WAS REALLY SMART MOVE BY THE DEMUTH CAMPAIGN.

>> AND I THINK SPEAKER DEMUTH'S REAL CHALLENGE IS GOING TO BE EMERGING FROM THAT REPUBLICAN RIMARY.

THERE'S SO MANY GOOD CANDIDATES THERE.

SHE WILL HAVE A STRONG CHANCE AT IT.

BUT HAVING HIM ON THE TICKET TO HELP THAT, I THINK RIGHT NOW TO CONNECT WITH THE DELEGATES I THINK WILL BE AN ADVANTAGE FOR HER.

SO, I THOUGHT THAT WAS A GOOD MOVE AS ELL.

>> Eric: HOW'S THE GOVERNOR DOING, GOVERNOR WALZ, AS HE SEEKS A THIRD TERM?

HE'S IN TEXAS, WAS IT LAST NIGHT OR THE NIGHT BEFORE, BRAGGING ABOUT OUR UNIVERSAL PRE-K.

>> YEAH.

>> Eric: WHICH WE DON'T HAVE.

YOU KNOW, ALL THE FRAUD, KIND OF FILTERED BACK TO HIM.

WHAT KIND OF SHAPE IS HE IN GOING INTO THE CAMPAIGN YEAR?

>> I THINK THERE ARE DEFINITELY CHALLENGES.

BUT THE GOVERNOR'S RACE, WHAT THE ISSUES ARE GOING TO BE COME NOVEMBER, WE DO NOT KNOW.

AND WE'RE LIVING IN TIMES THAT ARE NOT JUST HIGHLY POLARIZED BUT HIGHLY NATIONALIZED AND WITH EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON IN WASHINGTON, IT'S JUST IMPOSSIBLE TO PREDICT, RIGHT?

SO, LIKE, -- AND NO ONE EXPECTED THE VIRGINIA ATTORNEY GENERAL TO WIN AND HE DID AND HE WAS A WOUNDED CANDIDATE.

SO, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE CHALLENGES, BUT I THINK -- I THINK THE CAMPAIGN AND LOTS OF DEMOCRATS ARE COUNTING ON THE NATIONAL MOOD ON THE ECONOMY, ON ISSUES OF FEDERAL CORRUPTION, ALL THESE THINGS WE'RE SEEING NATIONALLY THAT ARE DAILY HEADLINES AS BEING THE DEFINING CHARACTERISTICS OF THAT RACE.

>> I THINK THERE'S ONE THING THAT WE DEFINITELY KNOW THAT'S GOING TO BE ON THE BALLOT THIS YEAR, AND THAT IS FRAUD.

I MEAN, THE FACT IS, WE HAVE A U.S.

ATTORNEY WHO HAS EATEN THE STATE'S LEADERSHIP'S LUNCH DAY IN AND DAY OUT, BY FINDING NEW ASPECTS OF FRAUD, TAKING IT HEAD ON.

MEANWHILE, TIM WALZ AND KEITH ELLISON ARE SITTING THERE WITH THEIR HANDS EMPTY, THEY'RE LEFT HOLDING THE BAG, ESSENTIALLY, AND THEY'VE GOT NO ANSWERS FOR IT.

MEANWHILE, THE TICKER KEEPS GOING UP, WE'RE AST A BILLION DOLLARS ALREADY.

I THINK FOLKS ARE STARTING TO ASK, HOW MANY BILLION MORE ARE WE GOING TO BE SEEING HERE?

AND NOBODY REALLY HAS AN ANSWER FOR IT.

IT FEELS LIKE DEMOCRATS RE PLAYING CATCH-UP.

AND WALZ ALREADY VERY WOUNDED BECAUSE EVERYBODY KNOWS ABOUT THE CURSE OF BEING ON A PRESIDENTIAL TICKET AFTER YOU GO ON A PRESIDENTIAL TICKET, USUALLY IT'S YOUR MOST CHALLENGING YEAR, WE SAW IT WITH BACHMANN, AND KLOBUCHAR AGAINST ROYCE WHITE, NOT A GREAT CANDIDATE, SHE LOST GROUND, THE MOST GROUND SHE'S LOST.

>> Eric: IN HER VICTORY MARGIN.

>> IN HER VICTORY MARGIN.

AND I THINK THE GOVERNOR IS GOING TO EXPERIENCE THE SAME THING.

>> THE GOVERNOR IS THE STOP GAP IN MINNESOTA AGAINST THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

SO IT'S REALLY CRITICAL, HE IS GOING TO BE A STRONG CANDIDATE ON THE NTI-TRUMP MESSAGE, HE WILL BE A STRONG CANDIDATE ON THE AFFORDABILITY MESSAGE.

BECAUSE HE HAS A RECORD TO SHOW THAT.

HE, UNFORTUNATELY, HAS THE FRAUD ON HIS WATCH, AND I THINK THAT MAKES HIM VULNERABLE.

AND I WILL JUST SAY THIS, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF DEMOCRATS WHO FEEL THAT HE IS A RISKIER CANDIDATE THAN OTHER DEMOCRATS MIGHT BE.

BECAUSE OF THAT.

AND WE DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANOTHER SHOE THAT MIGHT DROP.

>> Eric: SENATOR.

>> SO I THINK SOME OF ALL OF THIS IS TRUE.

WHAT I WOULD SAY FOR REPUBLICANS, GIVEN THE -- GIVEN THIS OFF-YEAR ELECTION, THEY NEED TO HEED THE WARNING THAT IT IS.

I DON'T THINK IT WAS A ROUT, BUT I THINK IF YOU DON'T LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE, LIKE THEY'RE JUST BUYING THAT THE ECONOMY'S BETTER.

THINGS ARE STILL INCREDIBLY EXPENSIVE, INFLATION IS STILL HIGH.

AND SORT OF PRETENDING LIKE ALL OF THAT DISAPPEARED, YOU COULD GO DOWN THE SAME PATH THAT FORMER PRESIDENT BIDEN SUFFERED FROM, LIKE, SORT OF IGNORING THE VERY OBVIOUS THING THAT AMERICANS AND MINNESOTANS ARE FACING.

SO, -- BUT THERE'S TIME FOR REPUBLICANS TO COURSE CORRECT.

AND UNLIKE 2018, IN PRESIDENT TRUMP'S FIRST TERM, THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE THAT SAME ELECTION.

THIS IS A VERY DIFFERENT PRESIDENCY, IT'S A VERY DIFFERENT ADMINISTRATION IN MANY WAYS, AND IT'S BEING -- AND ARE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE RESPONDING TO IT IN A DIFFERENT WAY.

SO KIND OF RYING TO RUN THE SAME GAME WON'T BE AS EFFECTIVE.

BUT THERE ARE CERTAINLY THINGS THAT REPUBLICANS WILL NEED TO BE -- >> AND I THINK TO AMY'S POINT REAL QUICK.

IF YOU LOOK AT EXIT POLLS, A MAJORITY OF FOLKS IN THE EXIT POLLS, CNN, FOX NEWS, THEY'RE ALL SAY THEY'RE VOTING FOR CANDIDATES, NOT IN OPPOSITION OF TRUMP, BUT BECAUSE OF WHAT THE CANDIDATE'S MESSAGE IS.

AND I THINK THE WHITE HOUSE HAS RECOGNIZED THAT RIGHT OFF THE BAT, WE NEED TO BE TALKING ABOUT AFFORDABILITY MORE THAN HARD, SOCIAL CONSERVATIVE ISSUES THAT WE RUN ON IN CYCLES PAST.

>> Eric: WHAT IS UP WITH THE DSA, THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST, AND THE MINNEAPOLIS DFL AND IT SEEMS LIKE, AFTER THE ELECTION, THERE SEEMS LIKE THERE'S A BIT OF CONTROVERSY BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES AND WHAT DOES THAT PORTEND FOR '26, IF ANYTHING?

>> I MEAN, I THINK, LIKE LAST TUESDAY, RIGHT, YOU SAW MINUTE DANNY WON AND YOU ALSO SAW MODERATE DEMOCRATS WIN IN OTHER PLACES, RIGHT?

I THINK THIS QUESTION IS REALLY OVERPLAYED, THE TENSIONS BETWEEN THE DSA AND DEMOCRATS, IN A PLACE LIKE MINNEAPOLIS, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE THAT.

IN OTHER PLACES, YOU ARE NOT GONNA HAVE THAT TENSION.

AND IT'S AS SIMPLE AS THAT.

>> Eric: WE HAD ONE GROUP SAY, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A DSA CAUCUS, AND ANOTHER GROUP SAID, WE'RE GOING TO BE THE SOCIABILITY CAUCUS, WE'RE GOING TO GET ALONG WITH EVERYBODY.

NEW COUNCIL GOING TO BE ANY GOOD OR MORE COMPLEMENTARY?

>> I HOPE SO.

BECAUSE DEMOCRATS HAVE GOT TO BE UNITED IN THIS ELECTION.

THERE'S JUST NO QUESTION ABOUT IT.

AND WE HAVE A BIG TENT.

AND WE HAVE ROOM FOR EVERYONE UNDER THAT TENT.

>> Cathy: I WONDER, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF, WE ONLY HAVE ABOUT 30 SECONDS LEFT, THOUGH, BUT HOW DEEP IS THE SCHISM, THOUGH, ESPECIALLY WITH WHAT WE SAW WITH THE EIGHT SENATE DEMOCRATS BREAKING AWAY, ANGERING OTHER PROGRESSIVES?

>> INCLUDING ME.

YOU KNOW, IT WAS INCREDIBLY FRUSTRATING AS A DEMOCRAT TO HAVE HANDED THE -- THE VOTERS HANDED DEMOCRATS A BIG VICTORY AND WHAT THEY DID WAS THEN CAVE ON THE SHUTDOWN WITH LITTLE TO SHOW FOR IT.

DEMOCRATS IN WASHINGTON ARE GOING TO HAVE TO LEARN A LESSON.

AND I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY KEEP MAKING THE SAME MISTAKE OVER AND