>> WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.

>> Cathy: THANKS FOR BEING HERE.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Eric: THANKS.

THE MOST IMPORTANT ELECTION IN MINNESOTA THIS FALL WILL BE FOR CONTROL AT THE CAPITOL.

ALL 134 HOUSE SEATS ARE UP, BUT JUST A HANDFUL WILL DECIDE IF DEMOCRATS OR REPUBLICANS RUN THE CHAMBER.

OUR MARY LAHAMMER WILL BE FEATURING KEY RACES TO WATCH, AND SHE STARTS HER SERIES OF REPORTS IN THE BATTLEGROUND OF CHANHASSEN.

>> I'M LUCY REHM.

NICE TO MEET YOU.

>> Mary: I HAVE HEARD OF YOU.

>> I'M YOUR STATE REP, RUNNING FOR RE-ELECTION, WOULD LOVE YOUR SUPPORT AND YOUR VOTE.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO, TOO.

>> Mary: DFL REPRESENTATIVE LUCY REHM IN DISTRICT 48B KNOCKED OFF A INCUMBENT REPUBLICAN TO GET TO THE CAPITOL.

♪ DEARLY ELOVED, WE ARE GATHERED HERE TO GET THIS THROUGH THING CALLED LIFE ♪ >> Mary: WHERE SHE SPONSORED A BIPARTISAN BILL TO RENAME A HIGHWAY IN ITS DISTRICT IN HONOR OF ITS MOST FAMOUS RESIDENT AND BUSINESS.

>> PRINCE NELSON -- PRINCE ROGERS NELSON MEMORIAL HIGHWAY.

I LIKE TO MAKE THAT LITTLE JOKE.

WE WERE ABLE TO GET EVERYONE ON BOARD TO VOTE FOR IT.

PEOPLE WANT TO SEE A FUNCTIONING GOVERNMENT.

THEY WANT TO SEE -- THEY WANT US TO GET THINGS DONE.

YOU THINK ABOUT CHANHASSEN, YOU THINK ABOUT PAISLEY PARK, CHANHASSEN DINNER THEATER, THE ARBORETUM.

>> I'M A LOCAL TEACHER, OFFICER IN THE ARMY NATIONAL GUARD, JUST TRYING TO BRING BACK A LITTLE BALANCE TO OUR STATE LEGISLATURE IF I CAN.

>> Mary: REPUBLICAN KALEN STEPHENHAGEN, SOLDIER, SMALL BUSINESS OWNER AND TEACHER WHO'S TRYING TO BRING THE DISTRICT AND THE MINNESOTA HOUSE BACK TO HIS SIDE OF THE AISLE.

>> SERVING YOUR CONSTITUENTS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT THING TO DO.

THAT'S WHY I BECAME A PUBLIC TEACHER, I HAVE A PASSION FOR EDUCATION, LEARNING AS A HISTORY TEACHER, AME THING WITH THE NATIONAL GUARD, I WANT TO SERVE MY OUNTRY.

THIS IS AN STIPULATION OF THAT.

A LOFT PEOPLE, YOU KNOW -- A LOT OF PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T WANT EXTREMES, WHAT THEY WANT S A MODERATE APPROACH TO GOVERNMENT THAT WORKS.

YOU KNOW, THEY'RE IND OF SICK OF THE PARTISANSHIP, THAT DOESN'T WORK FOR THEM, GET THE JOB DONE AT THE END OF THE DAY.

SOME PEOPLE RE OKAY PAYING THE TAX RATE THAT HEY'RE PAYING.

SOME ARE NOT.

THEY WANT LOWER TAXES, WHICH I EMPHASIZE WITH AS WELL.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, BOTH SIDES CAN AGREE, THEY WANT THEIR TAX DOLLARS TO WORK FOR THEM IN A WAY THAT KIND OF GET THE JOB DONE.

>> Mary: IN THE LAST ELECTION, THIS HOUSE SEAT IN CHAN HAS WAS DECIDED BY JUST OVER 400 VOTES.

SO, IT'S, AGAIN, EXPECTED TO BE ANOTHER CLOSE CONTEST.

>> SO LAST TIME, YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK I WAS ON THE RADAR, I DON'T THINK PEOPLE KNEW THAT I WAS, YOU KNOW, POTENTIALLY GOING TO FLIP THE SEAT.

IT WAS A BLINK AGO WE WERE MEETING YOU AS A FRESHMAN, NOW YOU'RE ALREADY RUNNING FOR RE-ELECTION.

WHAT ABOUT THAT PACING AND CYCLE?

>> IT'S FAST.

YOU KNOW, IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE ALWAYS BUSY.

IT IS KIND OF SURPRISING HOW QUICKLY EVERYTHING EVOLVES, I WOULD SAY.

>> Mary: ARE YOU AWARE F HOW CLOSE THIS COULD BE?

>> IT IS ONE OF THE CLOSEST RACES IN THE STATE.

AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE ABSOLUTELY OUT THERE EVERY DAY TALKING TO PEOPLE.

>> Mary: IS IT DAUNTING ON ANY LEVEL?

>> YES, IT IS DAUNTING.

>> Mary: YEAH.

>> YOU KNOW, EVERYONE HAS A STAKE IN THE RACE AND THEY WANT TO WIN.

SO, IT'S HELPFUL TO HEAR SO MANY VOICES WITH ADVICE AND COUNSEL.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S PRESSURE EVERY DAY.

SO IT'S GREAT FOR ME TO JUST COME HOME ND JUST SIT WITH MY WIFE AND TALK IT OVER, HOW IT WENT, TALK ABOUT HER DAY, GO ON A WALK WITH OUR DAUGHTER.

>> Mary: POLLS SO THE BATTLE FOR THE HOUSE IS CLOSE AND THE SUBURBAN SEAT COULD DECIDE COMPLETE CONTROL OF AT THE CAPITOL.

>> I'M A DFLer, PRO REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM.

>> AND YOU'LL BE VOTING >> YES, THANK YOU SO MUCH?

>> Mary: SHE TRIES TO TALK TO WOMEN IN PARTICULAR AT THE DOORS WHO HELPED PROPEL ABORTION AS A TOP ISSUE FOR DEMOCRATS IN THE LAST ISSUE.

>> IT DOES SEEM THAT I'M ONE OF THE TOP NAMES WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE GOING TO KEEP THE HOUSE.

BUT I KEEP THINKING THAT THE PRESSURE IS REALLY NOT ON ME, IT'S ON THE VOTERS.

WE THOUGHT THAT LAST TIME, TOO, THAT WE NEEDED TO TURN OUT, NOT JUST PEOPLE WHO LEAN TOWARD THE DEM SIDE BUT ALSO PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THE MIDDLE, PEOPLE WHO ARE INDEPENDENT, I THINK THAT'S WHERE THESE RACES ARE WON.

I THINK DEMOCRACY -- DEMOCRACY ON ON THE BALLOT, IT WAS LAST TIME, BUT IT STILL IS.

>> I ASK IF THERE'S A BIG PRIORITY THAT MATTERS TO YOU ON THE STATE SIDE OF THINGS, EDUCATION, TAXES, ENVIRONMENT.

>> I JUST KNOW IT'S ECONOMIES, NATIONALLY.

>> YEAH.

>> I THINK OF IT NATIONALLY MORE SO.

>> Mary: THE CHALLENGER DOES NOT PUSH HIS REPUBLICAN PARTY ENDORSEMENT AND EMBRACES THE IDEA OF MODERATION IN THIS SUBURBAN SWING DISTRICT.

>> IT DOESN'T SAY HERE, ARE YOU WITH EITHER THE REPUBLICANS OR THE -- >> YEAH, SO I'M RUNNING AS A FISCAL CONSERVATIVE.

>> ALL RIGHTY.

>> THANKS FOR YOUR TIME, YOU GUYS.

>> BYE-BYE.

>> THEY SAY, HAVING THE DEMOCRATS CONTROL ALL THREE BRANCHES WAS TOO MUCH FOR THEM, THEY WENT A LITTLE BIT TOO FAR WITH THE SURPLUS, SPENDING IT.

THEY WANT A SIMPLE CHANGE, JUST TO BRING BACK A LITTLE BALANCE.

>> Mary: DO YOU THINK YOU COULD VOTE AGAINST YOUR CAUCUS, PARTY, IF IT COMES DOWN TO IT IF IT FITS YOUR DISTRICT?

>> I WANT TO VOTE IN A WAY THAT REPRESENTS THE CONSTITUENTS.

I SURROUND MYSELF WITH FEMALE VOICES, BECAUSE THAT'S IMPORTANT.

I'M A GUY, SO I COME FROM A GUY'S PERSPECTIVE.

WHICH S GREAT.

>> Mary: WHAT ABOUT THE ISSUE OF ABORTION, THOUGH, WAS IT GOOD FOR REPUBLICANS?

>> I HEAR IT AT THE DOORS, PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED.

AND, YOU KNOW, I'M A REALIST, I LIVE IN MINNESOTA, SO I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, REPUBLICANS PROBABLY AREN'T GOING TO GET THEIR ENTIRE ISH LIST ON