♪♪ >> ERIC: THE HOUSE IS IN ORDER, BUT THE LIMITS OF POWER-SHARING HAVE BEEN TESTED UP AT THE CAPITOL IN BOTH CHAMBERS.

WE'VE GATHERED AN ESTEEMED GROUP OF POLITICOS TO BREAK DOWN THE SHIFTING LEGISLATURE THIS WEEK.

DFLERS UP FIRST.

JAVIER MORILLO IS A LONGTIME UNION AND PARTY ACTIVIST AND FORMER NATIONAL COMMITTEE MAN.

SUSAN KENT IS A FORMER STATE SENATE MINORITY LEADER AND D.F.L.

LOYALIST.

REPUBLICANS WITH US TONIGHT: AMY KOCH IS A FORMER STATE SENATE MAJORITY LEADER AND NOW LOBBYIST.

NEW TO THE COUCH: G.O.P.

STRATEGIST AND SENIOR COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR, PREYA SAMSUNDAR.

SHE'S SERVED AS COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR FOR THE R.N.C.

AND TRUMP CAMPAIGN.

WISH WE HAD HOUSE MEMBERS BECAUSE YOU GUYS WOULD HAVE LOOKED DOWN AT WHATEVER THE HOUSE HAS DONE.

>> ABSOLUTELY, BECAUSE WHATEVER THEY DID WAS WRONG.

[ Laughter ] >> Eric: WHO WON?

>> YOU KNOW WHAT?

HONESTLY, THE PEOPLE OF MINNESOTA, ERIC.

[ Laughter ] NO.

>> Eric: OF COURSE.

>> I WAS SO GLAD THAT THEY GOT BACK TOGETHER.

I THINK THAT IT WAS A LITTLE MIX OF EVERYTHING, RIGHT?

IN THE END, THE D.F.L.

COULD HAVE ENDED UP WITH NO CHAIRS.

THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A CO-CHAIR SITUATION.

THERE COULD ONLY BE ONE SPEAKER, AND SO THERE WILL BE TWO YEARS OF SPEAKER DEMUTH WHICH IS EXCITING AND HISTORIC.

AND IN THE END, EVERYBODY'S GOING TO GET BACK TO WORK.

>> WELL, AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S A OOD THING THAT EVERYBODY IS BACK TO WORK.

I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT THIS WHOLE ISSUE OF NOT BEING WILLING TO SEAT REPRESENTATIVE TABKE IS BEHIND US BECAUSE THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN REALLY BAD.

AND HOPEFULLY NOW EVERYBODY CAN JUST GET BACK TO WORKING TOGETHER.

>> Eric: OF THE REPUBLICAN POINT OF VIEW, WHAT WAS GAINED, WHAT WAS LOST?

>> HONESTLY I THINK REPUBLICANS DID EXACTLY WHAT THEY NEEDED TO DO.

THE REALITY IS THAT WE'VE SEEN OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS, DEMOCRATS HAVE HAD A TRIFECTA THAT HAS ALLOWED THEM TO REALLY PUSH REPUBLICANS OUT OF THE WAY AND RUN THEIR OWN AGENDA AS THEY SEE FIT.

REPUBLICANS DECIDED TO TAKE A STAND THIS TIME, TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF A PLAY OUT OF HE DEMOCRATS' PLAYBOOK AND NOW THEY HAVE SPEAKER DEMUTH WHICH AS AMY SAID HISTORIC.

>> Cathy: THERE WAS A KSTP POLL THAT SHOWED THE MAJORITY OF MINNESOTANS SEEMED TO BE ON THE SIDE OF THE DFLerS.

>> THERE'S A LOT OF CONCERN I THINK IN THE COUNTRY ABOUT ORDER AND THINGS HAPPENING THE WAY THEY SHOULD HAPPEN.

AND THERE WAS A POWER GAP THAT WAS ATTEMPTED.

I THINK THIS IS, YOU KNOW, LIKE IN TERMS OF WHO WON, WHO LOST, I THINK IT'S, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE SAME OFFER THAT THE SPEAKER HAD PUT ON THE TABLE A COUPLE WEEKS AGO.

BUT THIS IS GREAT.

AND I JUST DO WANT TO NAME THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE HISTORIC NATURE OF THIS.

THAT IT IS AN INCREDIBLE THING THAT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE STATE OF MINNESOTA A BLACK CHILD CAN LOOK TO THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE AND SEE SOMEONE WHO LOOKS LIKE HER.

AND THIS IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT AT A TIME WHEN NATIONALLY, PEOPLE OF COLOR IN POSITIONS OF POWER ARE BEING CALLED BY THE RIGHT, LEFT AND RIGHT, JUST D.E.I.

PEOPLE, D.E.I.

HIRES.

SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT.

AND SO, YEAH, I'M ALSO PROUD TO BE A PART OF THE ALL D.E.I.

PANEL.

>> Cathy: SO WHAT CHALLENGES DOES SPEAKER DEMUTH HAVE?

THAT MIGHT BE A LITTLE DIFFERENT, SAY, THAN OTHER SPEAKERS IN TERMS OF KEEPING HER CAUCUS TOGETHER.

IT'S A REALLY THIN MARGIN.

WHAT MIGHT SHE RUN INTO?

>> WELL, SO A COUPLE THINGS.

SO IMMEDIATELY, SHE'S THE HIGHEST ELECTED REPUBLICAN OFFICIAL STATEWIDE, RIGHT?

AND SO SHE BECOMES THE DE FACTO REPRESENTATIVE OF HE REPUBLICAN PARTY IN THE STATE.

SO THAT'S, YOU KNOW, HEAVY IS THE CROWN.

AND ALSO, EVERY SINGLE BILL NEEDS 6 VOTES.

SO -- NEEDS 68 VOTES.

SO HONESTLY, THIS IS WHERE I THINK THE CO-CHAIR SITUATION WILL BE HELPFUL BECAUSE THE HEAVY LIFTING IS GOING TO GET DONE IN THOSE COMMITTEES.

NOTHING'S GETTING OUT OF THOSE COMMITTEES THAT DOESN'T HAVE A D.F.L.

AND A REPUBLICAN CHAIR AGREEING TO IT.

AND THAT'S GOING TO HELP THE SPEAKER KEEP ORDER ON THE FLOOR.

>> Eric: THE REPUBLICANS DO HAVE A ONE-SEAT MAJORITY UNTIL THE SPECIAL ELECTION IN ROSEVILLE.

WHAT DO YOU ANTICIPATE THE REPUBLICANS STRATEGY WILL BE IN THE FIVE WEEKS HERE BEFORE THE ELECTION?

>> I HONESTLY THINK THEY'RE GOING TO KEEP DOING EXACTLY WHAT THEY HAVE BEEN DOING WHICH IS CALLING TO ISSUE AND CALLING TO THE FRONT OF THINGS, THE ISSUES THAT THEY'VE HAD WITH THIS CURRENT ADMINISTRATION OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS.

SO THEY'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT FRAUD.

THEY'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT SPENDING.

THEY'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT THE BUDGET.

AND THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, BESPITE THE FACT THAT WE'VE HEARD SOME RUMORS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, GOVERNOR WALZ AND THE D.F.L.LERS PROPOSING TAX INCREASES AT A TIME WHERE MINNESOTANS ARE STRUGGLING FINANCIALLY, THEY'RE GOING TO BE THE VOICE OF REASON HERE.

THEY'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT TAX CUTS, WAYS TO PUT MORE MONEY BACK INTO THE FOCTS OF MINNESOTANS AND I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE THEIR FOCUS.

>> I THINK IT'S AN INTERESTING OPPORTUNITY TO STRUCTURALLY BE REALLY REQUIRED AND AS AMY RIGHTLY SAYS, THEY NEED 67 OF ONE PARTY PLUS ONE OF ANOTHER PARTY TO DO ANYTHING.

AND SO POLITICS AS USUAL IS NOT GOING TO PLAY THE WAY IT NORMALLY DOES UNDER THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES.

AND SO THIS HOPEFULLY FORCES EVERYBODY TO REALLY HAVE DIFFERENT CONVERSATIONS.

I THINK THE COMMITTEE CO-CHAIR THING IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO HOPEFULLY PRACTICE AND BUILD SOME NEW MUSCLES.

>> Cathy: SO THEN WHO HOPS OVER, SAY FROM THE D.F.L.

TO THE REPUBLICANS?

WELL, I MEAN, THAT'S AN INTERESTING.

BUT I REALLY DO HOPE THAT THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO CRAFT THIS LEGISLATION IN A WAY THAT DOES WORK ON A BROADER SCALE BASIS.

>> Cathy: YOU THINK THAT AS ERIC MENTIONED, JAVIER, THAT THERE WOULD BE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAYBE HROW SAND IN THE GEARS HERE EARLY ON?

>> YES, AND I THINK TO THE -- ON BOTH SIDES, RIGHT?

AND I THINK LIKE TO THE -- TO ERIC'S QUESTION ABOUT THE PRESSURES ON SPEAKER DEMUTH, RIGHT, YOU HAVE, LIKE, THE REASON THE BRAD TABKE ISSUE WAS NOT RESOLVED IS THAT THERE WERE SOME MEMBERS -- THERE WERE SOME PEOPLE SAYING ONE THING AND OTHER MEMBERS SAYING OTHER THINGS AND THERE'S A STRONG BASE IN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY THAT IS WAY FURTHER TO THE RIGHT THAN THE MINNESOTA PUBLIC IS.

AND THAT'S BEGUN E -- THAT'S GOING TO BE A HARD THING TO MANAGE FOR HER.

>> ONE THING THAT THE REPUBLICANS HELD TO VERY STRONGLY IS THAT THEY HAVE A MAJORITY IN ONE COMMITTEE, AND THAT'S THE NEW FRAUD AND WASTE COMMITTEE.

WHICH I THINK IS GOING TO BE -- IT'S GOING TO SPEAK VOLUMES AND BE A BIG WIN PORE THE PEOPLE OF MINNESOTA BECAUSE WE HAVE HAD RAMPANT ISSUES.

>> Eric: WHAT IS IT 800 MILLION THE LAST FIVE YEARS?

>> IT'S UNBELIEVABLE.

AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT PEOPLE THAT NEED THAT MONEY DON'T GET THAT MONEY.

THAT MEANS THAT TAXPAYERS' MONEY HAS BEEN FRITTERED AWAY, SPENT IN WAYS, CHECKS WRITTEN THAT NO ONE KNOWS WHERE THEY'RE GOING.

AND THAT -- THIS COMMITTEE HAS GOT A BIG JOB.

BUT THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF EXPECTATIONS TO GET THEIR HANDS AROUND THAT AND THERE'S WHERE THE REPUBLICANS KEPT A TWO VOTE MAJORITY.

>> Eric: YOU DO A LOT OF POLITICAL WORK.

AND I WONDER THE ELECTION BEING IN 2026 IN NOVEMBER, HOW LONG ARE THE VOTERS' MEMORIES TO -- TO THE EXTENT THEY THINK THIS WAS A FIASCO, HOW DO YOU KEEP THAT FRESH IN THE VOTERS' MINDS?

>> I THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY, LIKE THIS MESSAGE IS REALLY GOING TO BE PREVALENT NOW.

LIKE, WE'RE SETTING THE GROUND WORK NOW.

SO THAT WHEN WE GET PAST SESSION, WHEN WE START GETTING INTO THE SUMMER MONTHS, WHEN WE START GETTING INTO JANUARY AND FEBRUARY AND WE GET INTO CONVENTION SEASON, WHEN FOLKS ARE STARTING TO PAY A LITTLE BIT MORE ATTENTION, THEY'RE GOING TO BE REMINDING FOLKS, HEY, REMEMBER WHEN DEMOCRATS DIDN'T SHOW UP FOR THEIR JOB AND TOOK $300,000 WORTH OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS AS PART OF THEIR PAYCHECK.

THAT'S NOT GOING TO SIT WELL WITH MINNESOTANS THAT KNOW IF THEY DIDN'T SHOW UP FOR WORK, THEY WOULD BE FIRED.

WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT THE FRAUD.

AGAIN, AS TO AMY'S POINT, THEY'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT BUDGETS.

THE FACT THAT THEIR TAXES ARE GOING UP.

AND THINGS ARE LESS AFFORDABLE.

>> BUT THAT STUFF THAT PEOPLE DON'T FORGET.

>> UT FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS AND I THINK THIS IS A REALLY CHALLENGE FOR ELECTED REPUBLICANS, REGARDLESS OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE STATE OF MINNESOTA, WE'RE GOING TO BE WATCHING WHAT'S HAPPENING IN WASHINGTON.

AND WHAT TRUMP AND ELON MUSK ARE DOING AND THE DEGREE TO WHICH CONGRESSIONAL REPUBLICANS KEEP RUBBER STAMPING THAT.

AND THAT'S GOING TO BE WHAT'S CAPTURING PEOPLE'S ATTENTION AND HOPEFULLY REPUBLICANS IN MINNESOTA TAKE A DIFFERENT PATH.

>> Cathy: I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE HOUSE HERE.

HOW ABOUT THE SENATE?

THERE WAS A POWER SHIFT IN THE SENATE WHAT DO YOU SEE HAPPENING THERE?

>> RIGHT, WELL, THERE'S 34-33, THE SAME THING WE HAD SMTD.

BUT SOME CHAIRS ARE KEEPING A SORT OF CO-CHAIR SITUATION.

AGAIN, LOOK OF THE 200 LEGISLATORS CURRENTLY, 100 ARE REPUBLICAN ND 100 ARE DEMOCRAT.

NOW THAT COULD CHANGE AND LIKELY WILL CHANGE WITH THAT ROSEVILLE STATE SEAT.

STILL IT'S THE MOST NARROW MARGIN YOU COULD HAVE.

AND EVERYBODY WILL HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER.

>> Eric: JAVIER, YOU'VE GOT THREE CAUCUSES, THE P.O.C.I.

CAUCUS, REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM, THE QUEER CROSSWALK YOUS, NOW YOU'VE GOT THE BLUE DOGS.

IS THE SENATE DEMOCRATS GOING TO BE PRETTY CHOPPED UP IN NICHES?

>> LOOK, I THINK WE -- ALL THE LEGISLATION THAT PASSED IN THE LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION HAPPENED WITH A ONE-VOTE MAJORITY.

WITH A LOT OF THE SAME CHARACTERS THERE.

I THINK THAT THOSE, YOU KNOW -- THOSE ARE AFFINITY CAUCUSES AND THEY ARE IMPORTANT FOR THE -- FOR THAT REASON.

BUT I THINK THAT WHAT WE'VE SEEN IS A SENATE THAT HAS.ON THE D.F.L.

SIDE HAS BEEN UNIQUELY UNITED.

>> Eric: MIGHT YOU HAVE BEEN A BLUE DOG?

WERE YOU STILL THERE?

>> I DOUBT I'D HAVE BEEN A BLUE DOG.

IT'S THE BIG TENT, RIGHT?

WE ALL HAVE TO BE RESPECTFUL OF EACH OTHER AND WHERE WE COME FROM AND THE PEOPLE WE REPRESENT.

AND THOSE ARE GOING TO BE COMPLICATED CONVERSATIONS, BUT WE'VE SEEN THE D.F.L.

CAUCUS REALLY HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND COMING TO UNANIMITY.

>> Cathy: YOU BROUGHT UP SOMETHING INTERESTING ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.

SO HOW DUDS THAT CHANGE MAYBE SESSION?

>> WELL, IT'S GOING TO CHANGE -- IT ON HAVE GREAT DEPENDING ON WHAT THEUDGET.- FEDERAL -- BECAUSE FEDERAL DOLLARS FLOW THROUGH THE STATE AND ALSO SUPPLEMENT THE STATE AND DIFFERENT GRANT PROGRAMS WHETHER IT'S SCHOOLS R CITIES OR ALL SORTS OF THINGS.

>> THE USAID IS GOING TO HURT FARMERS IN MINNESOTA.

>> RIGHT, SO IT'S SO THAT IS GOING TO IMPACT -- IT'S GOING TO BE HARD.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A BUDGET FORECAST COMING OUT THE FIRST WEEK OF MARCH AND I THINK IT'D GOING TO BE A LITTLE DIFFICULT TO KNOW, IS THAT FORECAST GOING TO HOLD OR NOT BECAUSE OF HE UPHEAVAL AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.

>> Eric: BEFORE WE GO, YOU'VE BEEN IN SECTION ENDING NEGOTIATIONS.

WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN WHEN YOU HAVE THE HOUSE POSITION BEING DEFENDED BY HORTMAN ND DEMUTH?

I MEAN, IT'S A LITTLE DYNAMICALLY DIFFERENT, RIGHT?

>> YEAH, WELL, IF THEY COME TOGETHER AS I THINK THIS MEEGHT, THERE'S ACTUALLY A LOT OF STRENGTH IN THAT BECAUSE THEY'LL AUTOMATICALLY SORT OF PRECONFERENCED THESE BILLS.

SO COULD BE SOME STRENGTH OVER ON THE HOUSE SIDE.

I'LL ALWAYS HOLD OUT FOR THE SENATE.

>> YOU CAN SEE IT IN THE WAY THEY NEGOTIATED THIS.

I THINK IF IT WERE TWO MEN, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A LOT MORE SHOW BOATING.

SO I HAVE HOPES FOR THE END OF SESSION.

>> Eric: RECALL PROGRAM FROM THE REPUBLICAN, IS THAT GOING TO CONTINUE?

>> I ABSOLUTELY THINK SO.

YOU KNOW, I THINK TODAY THEY CAME OUT AND SAID, POINT BLANK, THAT THEIR FOOT IS LIKE FULL ON, ON THE GAS THERE.

THEY REALLY DO BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE MINNESOTANS OUT THERE WHO ARE UPSET WITH THE FACT THAT THEY'VE TAKEN PAYCHECKS WHEN HEY DIDN'T SHOW UP TO ORK, THE FACT THAT THEY ARE MAKING PROMISES THAT THEY DIDN'T KEEP.

AND SO THERE ARE MINNESOTANS WHO ARE UPSET WITH THAT AND I THINK THEY'RE TRYING TO GIVE A VOICE TO THEM RIGHT NOW.

WHETHER OR NOT IT ACTUALLY STICKS IS A WHOLE ANOTHER THING.

>> Cathy: BUT ISN'T IT REALLY HARD?

>> IT'S A CUMBERSOME PROCESS AND MINNESOTANS WANT PEOPLE TO MOVE ON AND GET TO WORK.

>> Eric: WOULD MEMBERS WANT TO GIVE BACK THEIR PER DIEM?

>> I'LL TELL YOU, DURING THE SHUTDOWN, WHICH IS THE LODGEST SHUTDOWN, I DIDN'T TAKE PAY OR PER DIEM.

>> I AGREE.

>> Eric: INTERESTING TOUGH