>> ERIC: THE MINNESOTA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES IS CURRENTLY TIED, SO EVERY SEAT AND VOTE MATTERS.

POLITICAL REPORTER MARY LAHAMMER HAS BEEN HEARING ABOUT A RACE TO WATCH IN A COMPETITIVE SUBURB THAT THIS TIME HAS AN INCUMBENT.

>> Mary: THIS RACE TO WATCH TAKES US TO THE NORTH METRO, A GROWING COMMUNITY IN BLAINE AND LEXINGTON, HOUSE DISTRICT 32B.

>> CAN YOU JUST TURN YOUR FACE THIS WAY?

PERFECT.

>> Mary: AS A SCHOOL PHOTOGRAPHER AND SUBSTITUTE TEACHER, REPUBLICAN LESLIE LARSON HAS A LOT OF ENERGY TO TAKE TO A CAMPAIGN.

>> IT'S REALLY BECAUSE OF MY KIDS HAT I'M RUNNING.

I WANT MINNESOTA TO BE A BETTER PLACE.

I KNOW THAT WE CAN DO BETTER.- I WAOW THAT WE CAN DO BETTER.- I WANT THAT WE CAN DO BETTER.- I WANT MHAT WE CAN DO BETTER.- I WANT MY T WE CAN DO BETTER.- I WANT MY KIWE CAN DO BETTER.- I WANT MY KIDS CAN DO BETTER.- I WANT MY KIDS TAN DO BETTER.- I WANT MY KIDS TO DO BETTER.- I WANT MY KIDS TO BEO BETTER.- I WANT MY KIDS TO BE ABETTER.- I WANT MY KIDS TO BE ABLTTER.- I WANT MY KIDS TO BE ABLE ER.- I WANT MY KIDS TO BE ABLE TO.- I WANT MY KIDS TO BE ABLE TO.- AFFORD A HOUSE WHEN THEY'RE OF THAT AGE.

I WANT THEIR EDUCATION TO BE BETTER.

I LIKE THAT YOUR FEET ARE AT A LITTLE BIT OF AN ANGLE.

GOOD, YOU'RE ALL SET, THANK YOU.

>> FRAUD IN ANY FORM REMAINS UNACCEPTABLE.

>> Mary: DEMOCRATIC REPRESENTATIVE MATT NORRIS STUDIED LAW AND BUSINESS TO BUILD A BIPARTISAN RECORD SERVING AT THE CAPITOL.

>> SO OFTEN THEY'RE LIKE, YOU KNOW, I'M A DEMOCRAT OR I'M A REPUBLICAN, BUT CAN'T YOU ALL JUST WORK TOGETHER?

AND I AY, ABSOLUTELY!

LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT HOW I'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT, WHETHER IT'S, YOU KNOW, THE FACT THAT ABOUT 2/3 OF MY BILLS HAVE SUPPORT FROM BOTH DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS IN TERMS OF COAUTHOR SHAWP.

GOOD DAY FOR -- >> I HAD DOOR KNOCKED THAT AREA -- >> LARSON ALSO SITS ON CITY COUNCIL AND WANTS MORE FOCUS ON GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY.

>> FRAUD CONTINUES TO BE A TOP ISSUE FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE AT THE DOORS.

WE NEED HONESTY.

WE NEED ACCOUNTABILITY.

NOW, HAD THIS HAPPENED IN A PRIVATE BUSINESS, WE WOULD HAVE SEEN PEOPLE FIRED.

WE POTENTIALLY WOULD HAVE SEEN PEOPLE GO TO JAIL.

IT'S CERTAINLY WOULDN'T HAVE GONE ON S LONG AS IT HAS HERE IN MINNESOTA.

AND THERE HAS NOT BEEN ACCOUNTABILITY.

>> HI, THERE, I'M MATT NORRIS.

>> Mary: NORRIS KNOWS FRAUD WILL BE FRONT AND CENTER AS CHIEF AUTHOR OF THE OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL.

>> WE SHOULD ABSOLUTELY TACKLE THAT ISSUE HEAD ON AND IT'S WHY I HAVE, WHETHER IT'S THE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL BILL, THE BILL TO BEEF UP THE MEDICAID FRAUD CONTROL UNIT.

AND I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD BE DONE EITHER.

I HAVE BEEN CLEAR IN CALL FOR A TOP TO BOTTOM AUDIT OF STATE GOVERNMENT WHEN THE NEW ADMINISTRATION TAKES OVER IN JANUARY.

>> Mary: IN THE LAST ELECTION, DFLer NORRIS WON BY JUST OVER 400 VOTES SO EVERYONE KNEW IMMEDIATELY THIS WOULD ONCE AGAIN BE A TOP TARGET.

THIS COULD BE CLOSER?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

IT WAS 400 VOTES, THAT'S CORRECT.

BUT HE WASN'T RUNNING AGAINST ME.

I WON MY LAST CITY COUNCIL RACE WITH 74%.

SO I DO THINK THAT I AM EQAIPED EQAIPEQUIPPED TO WIN THIS NEXT HOUSE RACE BECAUSE OF WHAT I BRING TO THE TABLE.

I'VE BEEN IN BLAINE FOR 20 YEARS.

I REALLY KNOW THIS COMMUNITY.

I KNOW WHAT THIS COMMUNITY NEEDS.

>> IT'S GOING TO BE A COMPETITIVE RACE SIMPLY JUST THE NATURE OF THIS AREA.

I CALL IT THE PURPLE FRONTIER.

I MEAN, YOU GO ONE DISTRICT TO THE SOUTH, AS SOLIDLY THE SOUTH, AS SOLID SOLIDLY BLU, AND THIS IS THAT PURPLE AREA IN THE MIDDLE AND BUT I THINK THAT'S PART OF WHAT HAS MADE ME AN EFFECTIVE LEGISLATOR IS I HAVE TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH A VERY DIVERSE AND CONSTITUENCY, ONE, THAT YOU HAVE PEOPLE FROM ALL DIFFERENT SIDES, PERSPECTIVES, VERY DIFFERENT SOCIOECONOMIC STATUSES, AS WELL.

>> Mary: THE OPEN QUESTION IS HOW MUCH NATIONAL OLITICS WILL FACTOR IN INCLUDING AFFORD YACIALT, IMMIGRATION, AND THE PRESIDENT.

>> HI, THERE, MY NAME IS LESLIE LARSON, I'M RUNNING FOR HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

>> BLAINE IS VERY MUCH GROWING.

I BELIEVE THAT WE ARE THE EIGHTH LARGEST CITY RIGHT NOW.

HOWEVER, WE ARE THE FOURTH LARGEST CITY VIA LAND MASS.

WE HAVE THE LARGEST PROJECT GOING ON RIGHT NOW IN THE WHOLE MIDWEST.

>> Mary: AND WHAT ABOUT ETHNIC DIVERSITY BECAUSE I THINK THE ISSUE OF IMMIGRATION REALLY CAME TO THE FORE, AND LOCAL "CAPITOL REPORTS" ARE ADDRESSING THAT ISSUE.

>> BLAINE IS GROWING ALWAYS.

YES, WE'RE EXPANDING IN DIVERSITY AS WELL.

>> Mary: WHAT DID YOU THINK ABOUT OPERATION METRO SURGE?

>> IT WAS A VERY HARD TIME FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE.

>> Mary: WHAT DO YOU SAY WHEN PRESIDENT TRUMP THAT COMES UP.

>> WELL, I'M A MOM THAT'S RUNNING TO REPRESENT BLAINE.

I JUST BRING IT BACK TO LOCAL ISSUES.

HOW DID THEY GET A THIRD MORE FUNDING, BUT, YEAH, LIKE YOU SAID, WE'RE CLOSING SCHOOLS, WE'RE CUTTING CORNERS.

>> Mary: WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY ABOUT ADDRESSING AFFORDABILITY.

>> WE ARE ONE OF THE HIGHEST TAXED STATES IN THE COUNTRY.

WHAT I CAN CONTROL IF I GET THIS POSITION IS STATE LEGISLATION AND THAT'S WHAT I INTEND TO DO.

>> WHAT O YOU LIKE ABOUT THE AREA?

>> IT'S VERY QUIET.

YOU'VE GOT THE COPS RIGHT THERE.

>> IT IS MPACTING PEOPLE'S POSSIBILITY BOOKS EVERY SINGLE DAY HERE IN BLAINE AND LEXINGTON.

IT IS THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE THAT I HEAR ABOUT ON THE DOORS.

I MEAN, ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS DRIVE BY A GAS STATION HERE IN OUR AREA, AND YOU SEE GAS -- I THINK TODAY IT'S DOWN TO 4.39 WHICH SEEMS LIKE A RELIEF.

WHETHER IT'S THE GAS PRICES, WHETHER IT'S HEALTHCARE, THAT'S ANOTHER BIG ONE FOR SO MANY FAMILIES.

PEOPLE'S POCKET BOOKS ARE GETTING GETTIGETTING SQUEEZED AND IT'S LARGELY BECAUSE OF ACTIONS THAT ARE BEING TAKEN AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL RIGHT NOW WHETHER IT'S TEAR YICHS, WHETHER IT'S THE WAR IN IRAN.

AND SO YOU CAN'T SEPARATE THE CONVERSATION.

ARE YOU PLANNING ON VOTING THIS FALL?

>> YEAH.

>> ALL RIGHT, GREAT.

>> STUFF'S HAPPENING IN THE COUNTRY THESE DAYS.

BIG TURNOUT.

>> THAT'S WHAT I'M EXPECTING.

PEOPLE KNOW ME AT THIS POINT.

THEY'VE SEEN THE RESULTS THAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO DELIVER.

THEY'RE SAYING THIS IS SOMEBODY WHO REGARDLESS OF PARTY GOES TO THE CAPITOL AND