NO RESTRICTIONS ON THAT.

>> Mary: THANK YOU, GENTLEMEN.

REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

WELL, NOW TO THE LEGISLATURE AND ANOTHER IMPORTANT RACE TO WATCH.

THIS WEEK IT'S A WO-FER, A TARGETED HOUSE AND SENATE SEAT BUT IT'S THE HOUSE DISTRICT THAT'S OPEN IN A PICTURESQUE AREA WHERE INDEPENDENT VOTERS SPLIT THEIR TICKETS.

TAKE A LOOK.

>> Mary: THIS RACE TO WATCH TAKES US BACK TO THE HASTINGS AREA TO HOUSE DISTRICT 41B, AN OPEN SEAT WE'VE FEATURED BEFORE.

>> I'M JEN FOX, I'M RUNNING FOR THE HOUSE.

>> DEMOCRAT JEN FOX RETURNS DETERMINED TO WIN THIS TIME AROUND, AND FFORDABILITY IS A NEW SSUE FOR THE DOWNTOWN BREWERY OWNER.

>> WE ALSO HAVE JUST A REALLY BIG AFFORDABILITY CRISIS ALL OVER THE NATION BUT ALL OVER MINNESOTA.

AND THERE ARE VERY IMPORTANT WAYS THAT WE CAN WORK IN A BIPARTISAN MANNER, WORKING WITH EVERYBODY AT THE CAPITOL TO MAKE LIFE EASIER FOR MINNESOTANS.

>> Mary: WHAT DOES AFFORDABILITY LOOK LIKE HERE SPECIFICALLY IN THE DISTRICT?

>> YEAH, A LOT OF MY CONVERSATIONS END UP BEING ABOUT DECIDING BETWEEN GROCERIES AND CHILDCARE.

>> MY NAME S WILLIAM BECK, I'M RUNNING FOR MINNESOTA HOUSE.

>> REPUBLICAN WILLAN BECK IS A NEW CANDIDATE AS A LAB TECH, FORMER TEACHER AND CHURCH YOUTH LEADER WHO'S ALSO TALKING ABOUT AFFORDABILITY.

>> THINGS ARE EXPENSIVE HERE, WE KNOW THERE'S AN AFFORDABILITY CRISIS NATIONWIDE BUT YOU LOOK AT MINNESOTA COMPARED TO SURROUNDING STATES IT'S WORSE HERE, HOUSING COSTS MORE, CHILDCARE COSTS MORE AND ONE OF THE HIGHEST TAX BURDENS IN THE NATION.

THAT'S SOMETHING I WANT TO ADDRESS IN THE LEGISLATURE.

>> Mary: NOT A LOT OF REPUBLICANS ARE TAKING THAT HEAD ON, WHY DO YOU WANT TO TAKE IT ON?

>> WELL, IT AFFECT ME.

WE BOUGHT A HOUSE BY THE SKIN OF OUR TEETH.

A LOT OF PEOPLE MY AGE AREN'T GOING TO BE ABLE TO BUY A HOUSE.

>> REPUBLICAN TOM DIPPEL WON BY ABOUT 500 VOTES.

HE'S NOW SEEKING TO UNSEAT D.F.L.

SENATOR JUDY SEEBERGER WHO WON BY AN EVEN SLIMMER MARGIN JUST OVER 300 VOTES IN THE LARGER ENATE DISTRICT 41.

>> HER RESPONSE WAS I DON'T TALK TO SENATORS.

>> THE DECISION TO RUN IN A DOUBLY TARGETED DISTRICT DOES NOT COME LIGHTLY.

>> WHEN SPEAKER HORTMAN WAS TRYING TO GET ME TO RUN THE FIRST TIME, I SAID MADAM SPEAKER I THINK YOU'RE NOT GOING TO LIKE ME IN YOUR CAUCUS, I'M GOING TO BE A HEADACHE, I'M GOING TO VOTE THE FOR THE DISTRICT.

AND SHE SAID I THINK YOU CONVINCED YOUR TO RUN AND SHE'S NOT WRONG.

>> AND YOU STILL WANT TO RUN EVEN AFTER WHAT HAPPENED TO HER?

>> YOU HAVE TO LET YOUR HOPE IN ALONG WITH YOUR DESPAIR.

AND CARRIES AND WE NEED TO FIND HOPE IN OUR POLICIES, HOPE IN OUR POLITICIANS BECAUSE RIGHT NOW THE WORLD FEELS HEAVY.

>> Mary: HOW MUCH FEELS NATIONAL, HOW MUCH FEELS LOCAL?

>> A LOT OF IT'S NATIONAL AND IN FACT PEOPLE'S FIRST REACTION WHEN I TALK TO THEM THEY WANT TO TALK ABOUT NATIONAL ISSUES AND I EMPATHIZE WITH A LOT OF THE NATIONAL ISSUES.

THE PRESIDENT CAMPAIGNED ON NO NEW WARS, MAKING THINGS AFFORDABLE AND A LOT OF PEOPLE ESPECIALLY MY AGE DON'T THINK HE'S FOLLOWED THROUGH WITH THAT.

SO I EMPATHIZE WITH THAT BUT I REMIND PEOPLE LOOK AT THE STATE OF MINNESOTA.

IT'S BEEN MISMANAGED QUITE A BIT OVER THE LAST DECADE HERE.

AND THERE'S A LOT THAT NEEDS TO CHANGE.

WE HAVE THE FRAUD ISSUE WHICH IS LUGE, POLITICIANS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE BY THE WAY, SAW THE WARNING SIGNS AND CHOSE NOT TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.

>> Mary: EVER SINCE REDISTRICTING THIS RIVER TOWN OF HASTINGS HOUSE SEAT HAS GONE REPUBLICAN BUT IT'S BEEN CLOSE, JUST HUNDREDS OF VOTES HAVE DECIDED EACH TIME.

DEMOCRATS SAY THIS TIME IT WILL BE DIFFERENT.

>> I WAS ON HASTINGS CITY COUNCIL FOR A WHILE AND I OWN SPIRAL BREWERY SO I BRING A PRETTY PRAGMATIC APPROACH TO MAKING POLICY DECISIONS, SO I WOULD LOVE YOUR SUPPORT NOW I'M STARTING TO HEAR REAL POLICY ISSUE AT THE DOORS AND THAT'S REALLY FUN BECAUSE THEN WE HAVE VERY ROBUST CONVERSATIONS.

THE OTHER TIMES WE WERE KNOCKING AT THOSE DOORS THEY WERE LIKE, HEY, IT'S JUNE, WE'RE NOT READY IT YET.

BUT THERE'S ALSO A SENSE OF CALM.

IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE BECAUSE IT'S NOT A PRESIDENTIAL YEAR, WE'RE NOT HAVING THIS CHAOS AND CRISIS EVERY WEEKEND OR EVERY WEEK WITH DIFFERENT NEWS STORIES COMING OUT ABOUT THAT ELECTION.

SO THIS FEELS A LITTLE BIT MORE LIKE OUR ELECTION.

WE REALLY GET TO SPEAK FOR MINNESOTA AND WE REALLY GET TO SPEAK FOR 41B AND MAKE DECISIONS THAT WILL ALTER OUR FUTURE.

>> I USED TO BE A TEACHER.

I HAVE TWO KIDS AND REALLY RUNNING FOR THEIR FUTURE.

WANT TO MAKE LIFE MORE AFFORDABLE, HOLD THE FRAUDSTERS ACCOUNTABLE AND MAKE OUR SCHOOLS BETTER.

ARE THOSE THINGS THAT STAND OUT TO YOU?

>> YES, ABSOLUTELY.

>> I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON IN ST.

PAUL.

AND THAT'S NOT BECAUSE OF IGNORANCE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, THERE ARE A LOT OF BACKROOM DEALS MADE IN ST.

PAUL, BUDGET DEALS NEGOTIATED IN THE DARK.

I DON'T THINK THAT'S RIGHT, I THINK PEOPLE HAVE -- SHOULD BE ABLE TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON IN THEIR GOVERNMENT.

SO I'M NOT AN AUTOMATIC YES OR ANY OF THOSE BACKROOM DEALS REGARDLESS OF WHICH PARTY THEY'RE COMING FROM.

I THINK TRANSPARENCY'S IMPORTANT ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO OMNIBUS BILLS, I'M NOT A FAN OF THOSE.

JUST AS MANY OF THE LEGISLATORS THEMSELVES DO NOT GET TO READ THEM.

I THINK THE SENATE SIDE IS GETTING MORE ATTENTION THAN THE HOUSE SIDE IT.

I'M NOT BITTER ABOUT IT, I'M STILL GETTING TO TALK TO A BUNCH OF PEOPLE TOO.

>> BECK SERVED ON CITY COUNCIL AS DOES BECK'S SPOUSE >> THIS DISTRICT IS SUCH A SWING DISTRICT.

WE ARE WORKING REALLY HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT VOTERS KNOW THAT THEY HAVE AN OPTION WHO'S RUNNING FOR HOUSE, THAT REALLY WANTS TO REPRESENT WHAT OUR VIEWS ARE AND WHO OUR NEEDS ARE AND WORK ACROSS THE AISLE TO GET THOSE GOALS ACHIEVED AND TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR VOICES ARE BROUGHT UP THERE BECAUSE I WANT TO BE A REPRESENTATIVE THAT REPRESENTS OUR DISTRICT AND VOTES FOR OUR DISTRICT.

>> DID YOU THINK THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN WITH THE PREVIOUS REPRESENTATION?

>> YOU KNOW, FOR A WHILE IT HASN'T HAPPENED.

AND I THINK OUR VOTERS ARE FINALLY FIGURING OUT THAT WITH THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN OFFICE WE COULD GET SOME REALLY IMPORTANT WORK DONE, LIKE ACCESS TO CLEAN AND AFFORDABLE DRINKING WATER.

>> THE PEOPLE OF HASTINGS DIDN'T POLLUTE THE WATER, I DON'T THINK THEY SHOULD HAVE TO PAY TO CLEAN IT UP.

SO IT'S GOING TO BE A PRIORITY FOR ME TO GET THAT FUNDING.

I THINK IT IS A PURPLE DISTRICT.

WE KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE LIKE TO SPLIT THEIR TICKETS.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE RESULTS.

WE'LL SEE.

I THINK THE PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS WE'VE MADE ALONG THE WAY REALLY HELP.