>> Eric: AS WE NOTED EARLIER IN THE HOUR ABSENTEE VOTING BEGAN TODAY IN MINNESOTA.

ALL 201 LEGISLATIVE SEATS ON THE BALLOT WITH CLOSELY DIVIDED STATE GOVERNMENT BIPARTISANSHIP WAS AT A PREMIUM, MAJORITY IN THE MIDDLE IS A NON-PROFIT THAT AIMS TO FOSTER CONVERSATIONS BETWEEN POLITICALLY DIFFERENT INDIVIDUALS AND RELEASED ITS REPORT ON BIPARTISANSHIP EARLIER THIS SUMMER WITH JUST 45 DAYS UNTIL ELECTION DAY GOOD TIME TO LOOK AT THE FINDINGS.

JOINING US IS FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF MAJORITY IN THE MIDDLE, SHANNON WATSON.

DO THE VOTERS AND DO THE LEADERS OF THE VARIOUS LEGISLATIVE CAUCUSES REALLY WANT BIPARTISANSHIP?

>> OH, THOSE TWO VERY DIFFERENT CONSTITUENCIES.

I DO THINK WHEN YOU TAKE POLLS AND GO TO THE DOORS A LOT OF NORMAL MINNESOTANS SAY CAN'T YOU GUYS PLEASE JUST STOP FIGHTING, JUST GET THINGS DONE, EVERYBODY ELSE WHO GOES TO WORK DOESN'T HAVE THE LUXURY OF JUST LIKE NOT WORKING WITH THEIR COLLEAGUES.

SO THEY WANT THE LEGISLATURE TO DO THAT AS WELL.

DO LEGISLATIVE LEADERS WANT THAT?

PROBABLY NOT QUITE AS MUCH BECAUSE THEIR JOB IS TO HOLD THEIR CAUCUS TOGETHER AND GET THOSE THINGS DONE THAT THEIR CAUCUS WANTS.

SO THOSE ARE TWO DIFFERENT GOALS.

>> Cathy: ARE WE SURE VOTERS WANT THEIR LAWMAKERS TO WORK TOGETHER?

AND I ASK THAT, I MEAN, VOTERS ON EITHER END OF THOSE, THE POLARIZED VOTERS ON EITHER END OF THE SPECTRUM.

>> YEAH, I THINK A LOT OF VOTERS WANT THEM TO WORK TOGETHER.

THE QUESTION IS WHAT DO THEY WANT THEM TO WORK TOGETHER TO DO, AND A LOT OF TIMES IT'S I WANT EVERYBODY TO COMPROMISE AND TAKE THE THING THAT I WANT TO COME OUT OF IT.

SO BUT THERE IS LIKE THIS UNDERSTANDING THAT, YOU KNOW, GRIDLOCK ISN'T, LIKE IT ISN'T HELPFUL TO THE STATE.

NOT GETTING STUFF DONE ISN'T HELPFUL.

SO I THINK THAT'S WHAT VOTERS REALLY ARE AIMING FOR.

>> Eric: WITH THE REAL TIGHT DIVISION OF POWER IN THE LEGISLATURE, IN THE HOUSE IT WAS FORCED BIPARTISANSHIP.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

YES.

>> Eric: DOES THAT CONTRIBUTE TO MAYBE AN INCREASE IN BIPARTISANSHIP?

>> IT DOES AND ACTUALLY IT SET UP A REALLY GOOD DICHOTOMY FOR THE ENTIRE BIENNIUM.

SO THE HOUSE WAS TIED 67-67.

THE SENATE HAD THE NORMAL MAJORITY, MINORITY DYNAMIC BY ONE, YOU KNOW, BY ONE SEAT FOR MOST OF IT OTHER THAN THE FIRST THREE WEEKS.

IN THE HOUSE THERE WAS A LOT OF BIPARTISANSHIP AND THERE WAS A LOT OF BIPARTISANSHIP IN THE HEARINGS.

SO FOR THE HOUSE, ALL OF THE HEARINGS TOTALLY PUT TOGETHER THE BILLS THAT WERE HEARD, 51% OF THEM HAD A D.F.L.

CHIEF AUTHOR, 49% HAD A REPUBLICAN CHIEF AUTHOR.

IN THE SENATE WHERE THERE WAS THAT MAJORITY, MINORITY, 79% OF THE BILLS WERE CHIEF AUTHORED BY THE MAJORITY ARTY.

AND SO LIKE THAT TELLS US NOT ONLY IS THIS DYNAMIC IMPORTANT BUT THE INCENTIVES ARE ENORMOUSLY IMPORTANT AND WHAT YOU DESIGN FOR IS KIND OF WHAT YOU GET.

>> Cathy: ANYTHING COME OUT OF THAT REPORT THAT REALLY SURPRISED YOU, SAT DOWN YOU WENT, WOW, REALLY?

>> I THINK THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ARE REALLY PARTICIPATING REALLY LEANING IN, EVEN IF THEY DON'T HAVE O, A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE IN VERY SAFE SEATS STILL WORKING ACROSS THE AISLE.

EVEN ON BILLS THAT WEREN'T GETTING HEARINGS AND, YOU KNOW, WEREN'T THE SUPER HOT TOPICS.

>> Eric: MAYBE YOU'RE ADVISING THEM AND I DON'T KNOW THAT BUT THERE'S A GROUP OF WOULD BE FRESHMEN RUNNING FOR THE HOUSE THAT REGARDLESS OF PARTY LINES THEY PLEDGED TO WORK TOGETHER.

>> OH, YEAH!

I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THAT, THAT'S ALL THE FORWARD PARTY.

>> Eric: THAT'S A VERY NOBLE STATEMENT BUT ARE ANY OF THOSE CANDIDATES FAVORED TO WIN?

>> YES.

I DON'T KNOW.

MOST OF THEM ARE N OPEN SEATS OR CHALLENGING AN INCUMBENT SO PROBABLY NOT, BUT SERIOUSLY LIKE THAT GROUP IF YOU DIDN'T SEE IT, IT WAS SOME CANDIDATES THAT HAVE BEEN ENDORSED BY THE D.F.L., SOME ENDORSED BY REPUBLICANS, ONE FORWARD INDEPENDENT MINOR PARTY CANDIDATE AND I THINK ONE CANDIDATE RUNNING INDEPENDENT.

THEY ALL PARTICIPATED IN THE SAME PRESS CONFERENCE TOGETHER.

THEY DIDN'T ALL STAND TOGETHER BEHIND THE PODIUM AT THE SAME TIME BUT PARTICIPATED.

THAT WAS PROBABLY ONE OF HE TOP TEN BRAVEST THINGS I'VE SEEN AT THE CAPITOL >> Cathy: WOW!

THAT'S SAYING SOMETHING.

>> IT IS, BECAUSE THE PRESS CONFERENCE LED OFF WITH WE HAD 8 PEOPLE WHO WERE GOING TO PARTICIPATE, NOW WE HAVE 7