I STILL WOULD.

I DON'T KNOW THAT I EVER WILL.

♪♪ >> Eric: THE 2024 LEGISLATIVE SESSION BEGINS IN JUST TEN DAYS.

LAWMAKERS HAVE BEEN MEETING ALREADY WITH ONE COMMITTEE VOTE - RECORDED, TASK FORCE WORK BEEN ANNOUNCED, AND MORE WE'VE GATHERED A PLUGGED IN PANEL OF POLITICAL ANALYSTS TO FILL THE COUCH THIS WEEK.

REPUBLICANS UP FIRST, FRITZ CANK.

SENATOR, NOW ATTORNEY IN PRIVATE PRACTICE.

BRIAN MCDANIEL IS A FORMER LEGISLATIVE STAFFER TURNED LOBBYIST AND STAND-UP COMEDIAN.

DEMOCRATS JOINING US TONIGHT, EMBER REICHGOTT JUNGE IS A FORMER STATE SENATOR WHOSE TENURE OVERLAPPED WITH SENATOR KNAAK.

LAST BUT NOT LEAST, ANOTHER FORMER STATE SENATOR JEFF HAYDEN ROUNDS OUT THE GROUP.

WE SHOULD SAY HAT MAJORITY PLEADER KARI DZIEDZIC, HER CANCER HAS RETURNED AND SHE IS STEPPING DOWN FROM STATE LEADERSHIP.

THE ATMOSPHERE AT THE CAPITOL IT'S A PRETTY IGHT KNIT, SMALL COMMUNITY.

AND THIS REALLY HIT HOME TODAY.

>> YEAH, IT IS.

IT REALLY HURT.

I HEARD FROM A LOT OF FOLKS TODAY, FORMER COLLEAGUES, STAFFERS.

SO FIRST OF ALL WE'RE WISHING KARI ALL OF THE SUCCESS IN THE WORLD IN HER TREATMENT.

BUT IT REALLY IS A GUT PUNCH.

SHE IS A PHENOMENAL LEADER.

WE DON'T WISH THAT HAD ON ANYBODY BUT THAT'S ONE OF THE GOOD ONES.

AND SO YOU KNOW HOW HARD KARI WORKS, HOW SENATOR, LEADER DZIEDZIC WORKS AND WE'RE JUST REALLY PRAYING FOR HER.

>> BRIAN.

>> SENATOR DZIEDZIC WAS A GOOD LEADER.

SHE WAS SOMEBODY WHO WAS DOING A PRETTY GOOD JOB OF TAKING THE VERY DIVERSE PARTS OF HER CAUCUS AND KEEPING THEM IN LOCKSTEP ON EVERY CONTROVERSIAL VOTE.

YOU WON'T FIND A REPUBLICAN OR A DEMOCRAT THAT WOULD SAY A BAD WORD ABOUT HER.

>> WHEN SHE BECAME THE FIRST FEMALE SENATE MAJORITY LEADER FROM THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY, ALL OF US CHEERED.

ALL OF US DID.

AND SHE HAS BEEN EXCEPTIONAL IN JUST ONE YEAR OF LEADERSHIP.

CAN YOU BELIEVE IT WAS HER FIRST YEAR?

AND SHE WAS CALM, SHE WAS COMPASSIONATE, SHE BROUGHT THAT CAUCUS TOGETHER, THE MOST DIVERSE CAUCUS IN OUR HISTORY, FOR HISTORIC RESULTS.

AND SHE NOW I THINK HAS A CHALLENGE, BUT IT WILL BE VERY HARD TO FILL HER SHOES.

BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY, KARI, THANK YOU FOR STEPPING UP AND WE'RE HERE FOR YOU.

WE ARE.

>> Eric: SENATOR CANK.

NABBINGK.

>> WELL, I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY QUESTION SHE'S AN EXTRAORDINARY LEADER FOR AS DIVERSE A CAUCUS.

HERDING CATS I THINK WOULD BE A PERFECT ANALOGY FOR IT.

SHE DID ALL OF THAT WHEN SHE WAS NOT WELL AT ALL LAST YEAR AND EVERYBODY WAS HOPEFUL SHE'D BE IN RECOVERY, THAT'S ULTIMATELY SOMETHING PEOPLE WILL REMEMBER.

NOTWITHSTANDING THE FACT SHE WAS AS ILL AS SHE WAS AND SHE CONTINUED TO FILL THAT ROLE.

AND AS A MEMBER OF THE SENATE, FORMER MEMBER OF THE SENATE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE KIND OF MEMORIES AND LEGACIES THAT YOU LIKE TO SEE IN THE INSTITUTION.

>> Cathy: ARE THERE FOLKS WHO MIGHT BE -- WHAT HAPPENS NEXT, I GUESS, IS THE QUESTION?

AS SHENERS TREATMENT AND STEPS ASIDE AS A LEADER, WHO MIGHT BE IN THE WINGS, DO YOU KNOW?

>> WELL, LAST YEAR PRESIDENT CHAMPION, SENATOR CHAMPION KIND OF STEPPED IN FOR THE FACE-TO-FACE NEGOTIATIONS, RAN THE CAUCUS WHEN SHE WASN'T ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE OF ZOOM AND OTHERS AND SOME OF THE REMOTE VOTING THAT'S STILL INTACT, MEMBERS ARE ABLE TO VOTE EVEN IF THEY'RE NOT AT THE CAPITOL.

SO I KNOW THAT, I DON'T KNOW IF SENATOR CHAMPION WANTS THE JOB, I JUST KNOW HE WAS A CAPABLE REPLACEMENT IN THE FACE-TO-FACE MEETINGS.

BUT THEY HAVE A REALLY GOOD SET OF SENIOR LEADERSHIP THERE.

THE ASSISTANT MAJORITY LEADERS, SENATOR FRENTZ, YOU KNOW, SENATOR MURPHY, YOU KNOW, IS PRETTY WELL RESPECTED THERE.

I PROBABLY SHOULDN'T HAVE DONE THAT BECAUSE THERE'S A GROUP OF FOLKS THAT ARE THERE.

SENATOR DIBBLE WAS HERE TODAY, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE SENATOR MARTY WHO'S A SENIOR MEMBER OF THE CAUCUS.

SO THERE'S SOME REALLY GOOD STRONG LEADERS THERE.

>> Eric: NICK FRENTZ, NORTH MANKATO, THIRD TERM, ASSISTANT MAJORITY LEADER.

I WONDER IF THERE'S SUCH A PROBLEM AMONG DEMOCRATS IN THE METRO -- DOESN'T FIT THE DEMOGRAPHICS PROBABLY PRETTY WELL BUT I WONDER IF A NEUTRAL GUY FROM GREATER MINNESOTA MIGHT BE A DECENT FIT.

>> WELL, WHEN WE WERE THERE THE RURAL FOLKS HAD THE POWER FOR SURE AND THAT HAS CHANGED VERY MUCH OVER THE LAST YEARS.

AND SO HE MAY NOT HAVE THAT POWER IN THE LEADERSHIP MODE BUT HE DOES HAVE THAT POWER WITHIN HIS RELATIONSHIPS IN THE CAUCUS.

SO HE MAY WELL BE PART OF THAT LEADERSHIP TEAM AND I THINK YOU WERE SAYING IT'S GOING TO BE A TEAM.

THIS IS A GROUP THAT HAS WORKED TOGETHER AS A TEAM, THAT'S ALL THEY KNEW LAST YEAR WHEN KARI WAS IN RECOVERY, AND THEY'RE GOING TO ALL STEP UP.

>> YOU'RE MORE OPTIMISTIC THAN I AM.

>> Cathy: WELL, IS IT A TOUGH SESSION BECAUSE THERE'S ONE VOTE?

>> YEAH, THEY WERE ABLE TO DO SOME THINGS THAT WERE NEVER POSSIBLE WHEN WE WERE IN THERE IN TERMS OF REMOTE VOTING AND ACTUALLY BEING ABLE TO EXERCISE THAT LEADERSHIP POSITION LARGELY OUTSIDE OF THE CAPITOL.

AND I'M ANTICIPATING THAT'S NOT GOING TO GO AWAY ANYTIME SOON.

BUT IT'S INTERESTING TO SEE AND ON THE OTHER HAND THEIR OPPOSITION ISN'T GOING TO BE ALL THAT FRIENDLY, YOU KNOW, THE REPUBLICANS ARE PLENTY CRANKY RIGHT NOW FOR WHAT THEY WENT THROUGH IN THE FIRST PART OF THE SESSION.

SO HOW MUCH COOPERATION IS UNKNOWN THAT THEY CAN EXPECT TO SEE, AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, I LOOK AT THAT CAUCUS AND I SEE -- I DON'T SEE A CAUCUS, YOU KNOW, THE HERD OF CATS IS A GOOD ANALOGY.

I SEE A LOT OF MINI CAUCUSES AND LET'S SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

>> I GOT KIND OF A DIFFERENT LENS AND I KNOW FRITZ IS LOOKING AT IT FROM HIS LENS BUT I CAN KIND OF SEE IT FROM THE INSIDE.

THEY ARE SMART, THEY'RE DIVERSE, THEY HAVE DIFFERENCES OF OPINION, THERE'S KIND OF AN AGE GAP SO IT'S A DIFFERENT STYLE.

BUT WHAT I DO SEE IS A VERY STRONG CAUCUS.

I ACTUALLY SEE THE OPPOSITE OF THAT.

NOTWITHSTANDING SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT ARE IN THE NEWS AND THAT PEOPLE HAVE, YOU KNOW, HAVE SOME DIVERSE OPINIONS ABOUT THE WAR IN ISRAEL AND OTHERS.

I REALLY FEEL STRONGLY ARE FROM A PERSON THAT KNOWS THEM PRETTY WELL ND WORKED WITH ALMOST ALL OF THEM THAT THEY'LL BE OKAY.

>> Cathy: SO WHAT ABOUT THE SESSION COMING UP HERE?

SENATOR REST WAS TALKING AT THE MINNEAPOLIS CHAMBER HERE TODAY I GUESS EARLIER AND SHE SAID NO NEW -- THIS SESSION, NO SETTING NEW TAXES.

[ LAUGHTER ] >> WHAT I WILL SAY IS LEGISLATIVE LEADERSHIP IS BEING VERY CONSISTENT.

THEY'RE TELLING US DON'T BRING BILLS THAT COST MONEY.

NOW, THE ISSUE IS I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING THAT THE HOUSE, WHO IS UP FOR ELECTION IN NOVEMBER, THEY PROBABLY FEEL THAT QUITE STRONGLY.

THE SENATE, THEY'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF THEIR TERM, THERE'S PROBABLY A LOT OF THINGS THAT THEY WANT TO DO.

SO I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO BE NECESSARILY REPUBLICANS VERSUS DEMOCRATS, IT'S GOING TO BE CAN THE DEMOCRATS POLICE THEIR OWN AND STAY ON MESSAGE OF NOT SPENDING MONEY.

>> Cathy: SENATOR.

>> I THINK HE EXCEPTION TO THAT WILL BE THE BONDING BILL.

THERE MAY BE SPENDING ON THE BONDING BILL INCLUDING POTENTIAL CASH THERE.

BUT I THINK THAT THEY'RE PROBABLY WISE TO JUST HOLD BACK A LITTLE BIT.

THEY DID A LOT LAST SESSION.

LET'S SEE HOW THE PUBLIC RESPONDS TO THAT.

>> YEAH, THERE'S SPILLOVER FROM ALL THE SPENDING THEY DID IN THE LAST SESSION.

PEOPLE ARE STILL REMEMBERING THAT, AND SO I THINK THE MESSAGING IS GOING TO BE TERRIBLY IMPORTANT FOR THEM AND OF COURSE REPUBLICANS WILL BE MORE THAN HAPPY O SMILE EVERY TIME THEY SPEND MORE BECAUSE THEY WILL.

AND CERTAINLY THE BONDING BILL YOU'RE GOING TO SEE ALL KINDS OF PROJECTS.

>> Eric: CHILDCARE ADVOCATES WANT MORE MONEY, THE FREE LUNCH WAS AS ADVERTISED WAS NOT FULFILLED, I MEAN, COST OVERRUN THERE.

THERE ARE UNMET NEEDS.

>> WELL, AND, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS, YOU KNOW, SOME POLLING THAT CAME OUT THIS WEEK WITH, SURVEY USA, I BELIEVE KSTP IF AND IN THERE PEOPLE WERE SAYING THEY LIKED A LOT OF HE INDIVIDUAL PROGRAMS BUT THEN WHEN ASKED DID THEY SPEND TOO MUCH MONEY, OVERWHELMINGLY THE ANSWER WAS YES.

>> BUT THEY LOVED PAID LEAVE AND THEY LOVED THE SCHOOL LUNCHES AND THEY LOVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE.

>> YEAH.

>> Eric: DOES THAT MAKE IT HARDER FOR REPUBLICANS TO PROPOSE CUTS IF THESE ARE POPULAR PROGRAMS?

>> WELL, I THINK THEY'RE POPULAR PROGRAMS AND THEY'LL CONTINUE, PEOPLE USE THEM, SCHOOL LUNCHES IS RUNNING OVER BECAUSE MIDDLE CLASS FAMILIES ARE USING THEM.

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

IT'S NOT JUST POOR KIDS THAT ARE USING THEM OF.

THE BONDING ILL IS GOING TO HAVE TO GET REPUBLICAN, A REPUBLICAN VOTES ON THAT DEAL, SO THE QUESTION HAS TO BE WHEN YOU GO HOME AND FRITZ KNOWS THIS AS WELL, YOU CAN SAY NO TO EVERYTHING BUT THEN YOUR WATER TREATMENT PLANT AND BRIDGE AND OVERPASS SO KIDS DON'T GET HIT ON THE ROAD, YOU HAVE TO FIGURE THAT OUT.

>> Cathy: EVERY SESSION THERE'S ALWAYS SOME ISSUE THAT BUBBLES UP THAT YOU DON'T EXPECT.

A SLEEPER ISSUE.

WHAT DO YOU THINK IT MIGHT BE THIS SESSION?

>> WELL, I THINK -- I DON'T KNOW, THIS ISN'T BRAND NEW, BUT THE LEGISLATION ABOUT ASSISTED SUICIDE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS NOT GOING TO GO AWAY.

AND HOW IT KIND OF GOT HANDLED WITH VOTING OUTSIDE OF SESSION I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT ALSO I DON'T KNOW THAT PEOPLE ARE ALL THAT THRILLED WITH.

>> Eric: WEIGH IN ON THE U OF M HOSPITAL BUSINESS, OR?

>> YEAH, I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S A SLEEPER DEAL BUT I THINK IT'S CERTAINLY THE CONVERSATION'S GOING.

HOWEVER, WITH MYRON FRANS LEAVING AND THEY'RE N A SEARCH FOR PRESIDENT I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH OF THAT LEADERSHIP IS READY TO BRING IT BACK AND FORWARD.

I THINK THE MIKE RANT ISSUE, IMMATERIAL IMMIGRATION MAY SEEP IN.

WE'RE A SECONDARY CITY -- >> Eric: GIVE ME YOUR BEST 15 SECONDS EACH.

>> I'M WITH RYAN ON THAT ISSUE.

WON'T START THIS EAR.

>> Eric: -- FOR THE WILD?

>> I THINK THAT WILL NOT BE THE SLEEPER ISSUE, PROBABLY THE CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUE ON ABORTION, I'M WONDERING WHERE THAT'S GOING TO KIND OF SNEAK UP.

>> Eric: VERY GOOD.

SAD DAY, BUT THANKS FOR