>> CATHY: THERE'S LESS THAN A MONTH BEFORE ELECTION DAY WHEN VOTERS ACROSS MINNESOTA WILL DECIDE CONTROL OF THE STATE LEGISLATURE AND JOIN VOTERS NATIONWIDE IN CHOOSING THE NEXT U.S. PRESIDENT AS WELL AS CONTROL OF CONGRESS.

IT'S A BUSY TIME FOR THE PEOPLE WHO HEAD UP THE MAJOR POLITICAL PARTIES IN MINNESOTA, BUT WE'VE MANAGED TO NAB ONE OF THEIR FRIDAY NIGHTS.

DAVID HANN IS A FORMER MINNESOTA SENATE MINORITY LEADER, NOW CHAIR OF THE STATE REPUBLICAN PARTY.

HERE TOO, KEN MARTIN, WHO HAS CHAIRED THE STATE D.F.L.

PARTY SINCE 2011, LONGER THAN ANY OF HIS PREDECESSORS.

GOOD TO HAVE YOU BOTH HERE.

LET'S COME OFF THAT SHAKOPEE STORY HERE.

LOOKS LIKE CHAIR, WE NEED TO -- YOU NEED TO GET FOUR SEATS IN ORDER TO NAB CONTROL OF THE STATE HOUSE.

FOUR EATS.

>> THAT'S CORRECT.

DISPLSES ARE >> Cathy: ARE YOU PRETTY PERFECT?

>> YES, WE ARE AND I'VE BEEN MEETING REGULARLY WITH OUR ORGANIZATION, THERE ARE I THINK EIGHT OR NINE SEATS THAT WERE WON BY VERY NARROW MARGINS BY DEMOCRATS TWO YEARS AGO, AND THEY'RE ALL IN PLAY.

AND SO THEY NEED TO WIN FOUR OF THOSE TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE MENTAL ILLNESS HOUSE.

SO YES, WE'RE VERY BULLISH ON OUR PROSPECTS.

>> Cathy: AND WHERE ARE THE SEATS THAT YOU'RE MOST CONFIDENT IN?

LOCATE IN TERMS OF GEOGRAPHIC.

>> THERE'S A NUMBER.

CERTAINLY THE ONE THAT YOU JUST TALKED ABOUT IS ONE THAT WE'RE OBVIOUSLY LOOKING AT.

THERE'S A SEAT IN -- UP BY ST. .

SO THERE'S A NUMBER.

MOST OF THEM ARE KIND OF IN EX-URB EVERYONE AREAS.

>> Eric: 25 DAYS OUT, WHAT IS THE MECHANISM INSIDE THE PARTY TO GET OUT THE VOTE?

WHAT'S GOING ON?

>> WE'RE RUNNING THE LARGEST COORDINATED CAMPAIGN WE'VE EVER RUN, RIGHT?

OVER 30 OFFICES AROUND THE STATE RIGHT NOW.

HUNDREDS F STAFF ON THE GROUND, ORGANIZING, THOUSANDS OF VOLUNTEERS HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH VOTERS AT THE DOORS EVERY SINGLE DAY.

ONE OF THE REASONS I'M BUOYED BY OUR CHANCES IS BECAUSE WE HAVE OFFICES IN EACH OF THOSE DISTRICTS.

WE'RE ACTUALLY ENGAGED IN CONVERSATIONS EVERY SINGLE DAY AND IN THE END, IN CLOSE RACES, WHAT'S GOING TO MATTER IS THE PEOPLE WHO CAN GET THEIR VOTERS TO THE POLLS.

AND CLEARLY RIGHT NOW WE'RE JUST NOT SEEING ANY PRESENCE BY THE REPUBLICANS LIKE WE ARE SEEING FROM THE DEMOCRATIC MACHINE OUT THERE.

THAT DOESN'T GUARANTEE VICTORY OF COURSE AS YOU'VE EARD ME SAY PLENTY OF TIMES BEFORE.

WE RUN LIKE WE'RE 20 POINTS BEHIND.

BUT I JUST DON'T SEE THE MATH RIGHT NOW FOR THE REPUBLICANS TO TAKE CONTROL OF THE MAJORITY HERE.

>> Eric: D.F.L.

DOES HAVE QUITE A FINANCIAL LEAD ON YOU.

AND I WONDER HOW YOU COUNTER THAT.

>> WELL, WE -- YES, WE KNOW THAT THERE'S A FINANCIAL DISADVANTAGE THAT WE HAVE.

BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF VOLUNTEERS.

WE'VE GOT THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE AROUND THE STATE THAT ARE WORKING AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING AT CONTACTING VOTERS THAT WE MISSED THE LAST ELECTION THAT JUST FOR WHATEVER REASON DECIDED NOT TO VOTE.

SO WE'VE PUT A REAL EFFORT FOR THE LAST YEAR OR SO TO RY TO CONTACT VOTERS WE CALL THEM DISENGAGED VOTERS TO MAKE SURE THEY GET THE MESSAGE AND GO OUT AND A VOTE.

A PUSH ON GETTING EARLY VOTING DONE TOO, WHICH IS SOMETHING REPUBLICANS TRADITIONALLY HAVE NOT DONE AS WELL.

>> Cathy: I'M SURE YOU DO LOOK AT SOCIAL MEDIA NOW AND AGAIN.

BASICALLY THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE HASN'T CHANGED IN SIX WEEKS.

I MEAN, IT'S STILL REALLY, REALLY TIGHT.

SO MANY PEOPLE ARE ASKING HOW CAN THIS BE SO TIGHT YET, HOW CAN THEY BE SO CLOSE?

WHAT DO YOU THINK IS GOING ON OUT THERE?

>> FIRST OF ALL, I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF FRUSTRATION.

THEY'RE FED UP WITH WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL AND THE STATE LEVEL AND THERE'S A LOT OF FRUSTRATION.

AND YOU'RE SEEING THAT IN SOME OF THE RECENT POLLING AND INDEPENDENT VOTERS I THINK ARE REALLY BREAKING HEAVILY TOWARD REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES.

I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF INFRASTRUCTURE TRACE OUT THERE.

AND THAT'S HELPING TO GENERATE ENTHUSIASM FOR OUR SIDE.

>> WE'VE SAID FROM THE BEGINNING THIS WAS GOING TO BE A CLOSE RACE.

IT'S A DEEPLY DIVIDED THE COUNTRY.

THE ELECTORATE IS VERY POLARIZED.

IT HAS BEEN FOR SOME TIME.

THERE'S A LOT OF CONTRADICTING FANNERS TO THAT FOR SURE.

AND THERE'S DISTRUST WITH BOTH THE "CAPITOL REPORTS" FRANKLY AT THE TOP, AS ONE, THEY'RE STARTING TO GET A LITTLE BIT MORE FAMILIAR WITH IN KAMALA HARRIS.

THE ONE THING I SAY TO MY STAFF ALL THE TIME IS TO IGNORE THE THREE Ps.

KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE PRIZE WHICH IS NOVEMBER 5TH.

AND I THINK ALSO I SAY THIS THE SERENITY PRAYER EVERY DAY.

I CAN'T CONTROL WHAT HAPPENS IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY.

MY JOB IS TO WIN MINNESOTA.

ONE THING THAT HASN'T CHANGED CATHY IS THE FACT THAT WHETHER IT WAS JOE BIDEN OR KAMALA HARRIS, NEITHER OF THEM HAVE EVER BEEN DOWN IN AN INTERNAL POLL OR A PUBLIC POLL IN THIS STATE.

>> Cathy: MIGHT FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP COME HERE?

>> WELL, HE'S BEEN HERE ONCE.

THEY'RE STILL INTERESTED.

I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF TALK THAT THEY'VE GIVEN UP ON MINNESOTA.

THAT'S NOT TRUE.

THEY'VE MADE A SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT FINANCIALLY IN MINNESOTA.

WE'VE GOT A TEAM OF VOLUNTEERS THAT ARE REALLY WORKING HARD AND WE EXPECT THAT WE MAY SEE TRUMP OR VANCE COME BACK.

>> Eric: WHAT'S YOUR VIEW ON THE LEVEL OF SCRUTINY THAT TIM WALZ GOT AS GOVERNOR THAN HE'S GETTING ON THE TRAIL.

>> AFTER HE WAS ANNOUNCED AS THE CANDIDATE, AND I GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO A LOT OF INTERVIEWS WITH PEOPLE ON THE NATIONAL LEVEL, AND A LOT OF NEWS CAME OUT, AND I GOT CALLS FROM PEOPLE HERE IN MINNESOTA THAT WERE TELLING ME, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT ABOUT GOVERNOR WALZ.

THEY WERE LEARNING THINGS ABOUT GOVERNOR WALZ THAT THEY HAD NOT HEARD.

SO I THINK THERE'S BEEN SOME FRUSTRATION THAT MAYBE THE LOCAL MEDIA DIDN'T DO AS MUCH AS THEY SHOULD HAVE, AND THE AGENDA HE ADOPTED AS GOVERNOR.

>> Eric: WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT HIM TOPPING THE TICKET?

>> I THINK IT'S FANTASTIC.

SENATOR AMY KLOBUCHAR, THE MOST POPULAR POLITICIAN IN OUR STATE, FOLLOWED BY GOVERNOR WALZ WHO'S A TWICE ELECTED GOVERNOR, VERY POPULAR.

THE POLICIES HE CHAMPIONED ALONG WITH SPEAKER HORTMAN AND LEADER DZIEDZIC AT THE IME ARE WILDLY POPULAR IN THIS STATE.

AND I WELCOME THE CHANCE TO TALK ABOUT OUR RECORD OF SUCCESS HERE AND WITH AMY KLOBUCHAR AND TIM WALZ LEADING THE WAY, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I'M NOT GOING TO BE OVERLY OPTIMISTIC.

I TEND TO BE PESSIMISTIC ABOUT ELECTIONS, BUT I LIKE OUR CHANCES.

>> Cathy: SO IT'S BEEN KIND OF A CHAOTIC ELECTION SEASON AND THAT'S ESSENTIALLY AN UNDERSTATEMENT.

ARE YOU BOTH EXPECTING AIDEOUTIC POST-ELECTION WHEN IT COMES TO COURT CASES AND MAYBE -- >> I CERTAINLY HOPE NOT.

I -- I THINK, YOU KNOW, DAVID AND I WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS.

I REALLY HOPE WE GET BACK TO SOME NORMALCY IN POLITICS AND THAT PEOPLE REGARDLESS OF THE OUTCOME RESPECT THE RESULT.

AND THAT WE HAVE A PEACEFUL TRANSFER OF POWER.

IF EEDED.

MOST IMPORTANTLY, THAT PEOPLE RESPECT THE ELECTION PROCESS.

WHAT WE SAW IN 2020 WAS TERRIBLE AND WE CAN'T HAVE THAT HAPPEN AGAIN.

>> Eric: LITIGATION?

>> WELL, WE'RE NOT EXPECTING OF COURSE, AND I THINK CHAIRMAN IS RIGHT THAT WE ALL HOPE THAT THERE IS NOT GOING TO BE A CONTINUATION OF THE -- WHATEVER THE LAWFARE I GUESS YOU CALL IT.

BUT WE WANT TO SEE THE ELECTION GET RESOLVED CLEARLY AND LET'S MOVE ON AND GO AHEAD WITH WE BELIEVE THE NEW ADMINISTRATION.

>> Eric: WHAT'S YOUR SENSE OF TURNOUT?

IF YOU ROUNDED UP, IT WAS 80% LAST TIME.

IS IT A 2016 TURNOUT OR A 2020 TURNOUT?

>> MY BET, AGAIN, BEING A PUNDIT HERE FOR A SECOND WOULD BE IT WOULD BE SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN THERE.

I THINK WE'LL GET PRETTY CLOSE TO RECORD TURNOUT.

BUT I'M NOT SURE WE'LL ECLIPSE THAT.

THERE'S FRANKLY A LOT OF PEOPLE IN BOTH PARTIES WHO ARE TALKING ABOUT STAYING HOME AND NOT PARTICIPATING.

AND IN SOME WAYS OUR COMPETITION ON THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE IS THE COUNTY, IT'S APATHY AND SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE PARTICIPATE.

>> WHAT DO YOU THINK?

>> I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE STRONG TURNOUT.

>> Eric: IN THE SWING SEATS?

>> YES, I BELIEVE WE WILL.

AND I THINK TOO THE INDEPENDENT VOTE SEEMS TO BE INTERESTED IN REPUBLICAN POLICIES, REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES.

AND WE THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE DECISIVE.

>> Cathy: I'M CURIOUS ABOUT WHERE YOU THINK THIS APATHY IS COMING FROM?

>> WELL, LOOK, I THINK IN BOTH PARTIES YOU HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE JUST CHECKING OUT FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS.

WE'VE SEEN, BY THE WAY, ON THE D.F.L.

SIDE, THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY NATIONALLY, RECORD ENTHUSIASM, RECORD EXCITEMENT, RECORD VOLUNTEERISM, CRICKS SINCE KAMALA HARRIS JOINED THE TICKET AND WE'RE SEEING THAT INCREASE EVERY SINGLE DAY.

WE'RE SEEING MORE AND MORE PEOPLE -- >> Eric: WE'RE GETTING THE HOOK.

>> C