>> Eric: THE RECOUNT IN THE CLOSEST LEGISLATIVE RACE IN THE STATE IS DONE AND A D.F.L.

STATE REPRESENTATIVE HAS DECLARED VICTORY, ASSURING A TIE IN THE HOUSE.

BUT REPUBLICANS ARE NOT RULING OUT LEGAL ACTION.

ALL OF THIS AS LEGISLATIVE LEADERS MET WITH THE GOVERNOR THIS WEEK.

MARY LAHAMMER HAS THE STORY OF THE NEW UP AND COMING LEGISLATIVE LEADER ALONG WITH A STATE PARTY CHAIR WHO'S RUNNING FOR A NATIONAL POSITION.

>> THAT'S WHY I'M RUNNING FOR CHAIR OF THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE.

>> MINNESOTA D.F.L.

PARTY CHAIR KEN MARTIN IS OFFICIAL IN THE RACE FOR NATIONAL CHAIR, RUNNING ON HIS RECORD HERE.

>> WE BUILT A WINNING COALITION AND DELIVERED RESULTS.

SINCE THEN WE'VE WON EVERY SINGLE STATEWIDE ELECTION, 22 IN A ROW.

AND WE WERE THE LAST OF THE BLUE WALL STATES STILL STANDING.

>> MARTIN IS THE LONGEST SERVING PARTY CHAIR IN MINNESOTA HISTORY.

WE'VE BEEN TRACKING HIS RISE AS WE AND THE STATE BEGAN TO SEE LOTS OF NATIONAL PRESS.

>> HOW ABOUT THE NATIONAL ATTENTION COMING YOUR WAY?

>> LOOK, I'VE BEEN ELECTED THREE TIMES BY MY PEERS TO LEAD OUR ASSOCIATION, ASSOCIATION OF STATE DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEES AND WILL BE THE LONGEST STANDING PRESIDENT OF THAT ASSOCIATION, NOT THAT THAT'S A GREAT TITLE OR ACCOLADE BUT WHAT WE'VE DONE HERE IS REALLY THE MODEL AROUND THE NATION, PEOPLE LOOK AT MINNESOTA AND HOW YOU BUILD INFRASTRUCTURE TO WIN ELECTIONS.

>> A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY IT'S A THANKLESS JOB TOMORROW A PARTY CHAIR, YOU DON'T NEED TO BE TOLD, IT IS A [ BLEEP ] JOB.

>> BEFORE WALZ WAS PICKED FOR V.P., THE STATE DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEES MET IN MINNESOTA JUST LAST YEAR.

>> YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN YOU WILL HAVE POWER AGAIN SO LET'S USE IT NOW.

GENERATIONS OF MINNESOTANS WILL BE TALKING ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED IN THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

>> WHAT ABOUT OVERREACH AND YOU'RE TOUTING TOO MUCH?

>> I DON'T THINK IT'S OVERREACH.

THE PACKAGE THAT WE PUT TOGETHER OT ONLY IMPROVES PEOPLE'S LIVES IN THE STATE, BUT OVERALL THERE'S GENERAL SUPPORT FOR WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO O.

>> BUT REPUBLICANS MADE GAINS AT THE STATE CAPITOL IN THE MOST RECENT ELECTION LIKELY RESULTING IN A TIE IN THE LEGISLATURE.

STILL MARTIN IS TOUTING HIS OUTSIDER STATUS.

>> HERE'S THE THING.

IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A CREATURE OF D.C., THAT'S NOT ME.

BUT I DO KNOW HOW THE D. N. C. WORKS AND HOW IT ISN'T WORKING.

I KNOW HOW TO LISTEN TO THE VOTERS, TO THOSE WHO FEEL CAST ASIDE BY DEMOCRATS.

>> AT THE STATE CAPITOL HOUSE REPUBLICANS MET FACE-TO-FACE BEHIND CLOSED DOORS TO FIGURE OUT THEIR ROLE IN A TIED CHAMBER WITH A NEW DEPUTY LEADER WHO'S SEEN AS A RISING STAR IN THE PARTY.

>> YOU ARE TECHNICALLY STILL A FRESHMAN RIGHT NOW AND NOW YOU'RE IN LEADERSHIP.

HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN?

>> GOING INTO THIS NEW 67-67 TIE, ALMOST THE MAJORITY, I WAS HONORED TO BE ASKED BY THEM TO STEP INTO THIS LEADERSHIP ROLE.

IT'S ESSENTIALLY THE SAME THING AS MAJORITY-ISH LEADER.

I THINK THAT THE OTHER CAUCUS IS GOING TO HAVE A PERSON IN THAT POSITION WHO IS FUNCTIONING VERY MUCH LIKE THE MAJORITY LEADER.

THAT'S PROBABLY HOW IT'S GOING TO GO, I GUESS I SHOULDN'T SAY EXACTLY HOW THINGS ARE GOING TO BE STRUCTURED BECAUSE A LOT OF THAT IS UP IN THE AIR.

THERE'S NOT REALLY A MINORITY PARTY THAT DOESN'T HAVE A VOICE.

>> NISKA IS AN EXPERIENCED DEBATER AND ATTORNEY, CLERKING FOR TWO FEDERAL JUDGES.

HE'S BEEN INVOLVED IN POLITICAL PAINS AT EVERY LEVEL.

>> WE LIKE TO COMPETE AND WE LIKE TO WIN, BUT ALSO A LOT OF US ARE HERE BECAUSE WE WANT TO GET SOME THINGS DONE AND TO AT LEAST BE ABLE TO HAVE BOTH SIDES AT THE TABLE AND HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT ARE THOSE THINGS THAT ARE COMMONSENSE THINGS THAT MAYBE SOME DEMOCRATS SUPPORTED BUT THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD IN A TRIFECTA.

TAXPAYERS REALLY DIDN'T GET BACK MONEY FROM THE SURPLUS, THE STATE BUDGET GREW INCREDIBLY, YOU KNOW, 38% BUDGET GROWTH.

THERE WAS A LOT OF NEW TAXES, NEW REGULATION, AND FAIRLY EXTREME SOCIAL POLICY AGENDA.

I THINK A LOT OF VOTERS SAID THAT'S NOT THE RESPONSIBLE GOVERNANCE THAT WE THOUGHT WE WERE GETTING.

NOW IT'S ON US AS REPUBLICANS TO SHOW HAT WE CAN BE THE ADULTS IN THE ROOM, THAT EGG WE CAN BE RESPONSIBLE.

>> WAS IT OVERREACH?

>> WELL, I CAN'T IMAGINE THAT YOU COULD LOOK AT ANY OTHER TWO-YEAR PERIOD OF TIME IN MINNESOTA AND CALL SOME OTHER PERIOD OF TIME OVERREACH AND NOT CALL THE LAST TWO YEARS OVERREACH.

I MEAN, IT WAS MY FIRST TERM IN THE LEGISLATURE AND SO I HAD A FRONT ROW SEAT TO REALLY WHAT I THINK WERE A LOT OF MISGUIDED POLICY DECISIONS.

>> THE REPUBLICAN FROM RAMSEY OFTEN LEADS WITH HIS FAITH.

>> TO CONTROL FAITH ORGANIZATIONS.

MY FAITH IS PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT THING ABOUT ME.

IT SHAPES EVERYTHING THE WAY I SEE THE WORLD, THE WAY I THINK I SHOULD BEHAVE TOWARDS OTHER PEOPLE, THE WAY I SHOULD LISTEN TO OTHER PEOPLE'S OPINIONS, IT TELLS ME THAT I DON'T KNOW EVERYTHING, THAT NONE OF US KNOW EVERYTHING, AND WE ALL NEED TO HAVE GRACE WITH OTHER PEOPLE.

>> HE SAYS HIS STYLE AND BELIEF SYSTEM DIFFER FROM PRESIDENT TRUMP, BUT APPRECIATES HIS POLICY APPROACH.

HE NOTES THAT SIX DISTRICTS VOTED DEMOCRATIC FOR PRESIDENT BUT PICKED A REPUBLICAN IN THE HOUSE.

>> THIS IS ANOTHER STAGGERING DEVELOPMENT IN MINNESOTA.

>> FIRST MET PETE WHAT HE WAS RUNNING FOR U.S. SENATE IN 2012.

HE'S OBVIOUSLY A VERY ENERGETIC, RTICULATE VOICE FOR I THINK THE RANK AND FILE IN THE MILITARY.

I SENT PETE A TEXT CONGRATULATING HIM ON HIS NOMINATION.

>> DO YOU SHARE SOME OF THE CONCERNS ABOUT SOME OF THE ISSUES OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT AND MAYBE SOME OF THE ISSUES WITH TATTOOS?

ARE YOU CONCERNED ABOUT THAT?

>> WE'LL SEE WHAT COMES OUT IN TERMS OF SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN RAISED,