Politics Friday

Minnesota Public Radio

Weekly updates from Brian Bakst and the Minnesota Public Radio newsroom staff covering politics in Minnesota.

  1. 1 DAY AGO

    Politics Friday: First week of session opens with Hortman tribute, focus on tragic events

    The Minnesota Legislature’s 2026 session started with reflection about the deadly shootings that killed state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark.  Another lawmaker, state DFL Sen. John Hoffman, and his wife, Yvette, survived a connected shooting at their home. Hoffman was honored in the Senate chamber. It was the first time the Legislature had been in order since months of traumatic and tragic events left them and the state grieving and challenged to take action. The session will go fast, with just about three months to squeeze everything in. There will be debates about fraud, immigration, guns, taxes, work requirements for benefit recipients, social media guardrails, data center regulations — just to name a few. Another thing worth keeping an eye on this year: The tone lawmakers take with each other.  We’ll have a recap of the first week of session and committee hearings. We’ll also hear from Colin Hortman, the son of Melissa and Mark Hortman, about grief and finding ways to honor his parents.

    50 min

  2. 13 FEB

    Politics Friday: Lawmakers outline their priorities for the 2026 legislative session

    Minnesota lawmakers will face constituent pressure to take action on some potent issues from guns control, immigration, fraud, taxes and more as the convene the 2026 session on Tuesday. The Capitol also remains deeply split, with legislative seats almost evenly divided between the parties in the House and Senate.  Progress will be a challenge in an election year when some key players are looking up the political ladder or worried about the political winds back home. MPR News politics editor Brian Bakst talks with the Minnesota’s four caucus leaders about what’s in store for the session and what could get accomplished. Guests: Republican Speaker of the Minnesota House Lisa Demuth, of Cold Spring.House DFL Caucus Leader Rep. Zack Stephenson, of Coon Rapids.DFL Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy, of St. Paul.Republican Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson, of East Grand Forks. Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation or subscribe to the Politics Friday podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or RSS.

    52 min

  3. 5 FEB

    Politics Friday: Thousands attend Minnesota caucuses to weigh in on issues, governor candidates

    Tens of thousands of voters across Minnesota convened at schools, community centers and other gathering places to pick their preferred candidates for governor. They also vented their concerns on immigration, fraud and other priorities for the state’s major political parties. MPR News politics editor Brian Bakst recaps the results from caucus night and where campaign 2026 goes from here. House Speaker Lisa Demuth finished atop the GOP straw poll and U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar cemented her place as the DFL Party’s frontrunner for governor. Both declined to come on the show, either taped or live, to discuss the results. But Kendall Qualls, whose second place showing improved on his first run for governor, is a guest. Independent candidate Mike Newcome, who could be a November factor, also joins the show. Later, political analysis from caucus results and the broader electoral landscape, and we’ll hear from the voters themselves. Guests: Kendall Qualls is an Army veteran, think tank founder and a Republican candidate running for Minnesota’s 2026 governor’s race. Mike Newcome is a business owner and a Forward Independence Party candidate for governor.Todd Rapp is the president and CEO at Rapp Strategies and a veteran DFL strategist.Preya Samsundar is a GOP political analyst and a campaign consultant. Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation or subscribe to the Politics Friday podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or RSS.

    50 min

  4. 20 JAN

    Special episode: Sen. Hoffman reflects on a long healing process after shooting

    For the first time, we’re hearing a detailed account of the shooting that seriously wounded State Sen. John Hoffman and his wife Yvette, last summer. It was the same night that authorities say the attacker killed his colleague, Rep. Melissa Hortman, and her husband, Mark Hortman. On this special episode of Politics Friday, MPR News politics editor Brian Bakst talks with Sen. Hoffman about the attack on his life, the healing process and his new sense of purpose. Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.  Subscribe to the Politics Friday podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or RSS.

    39 min

  5. 9 JAN

    Politics Friday: Tim Walz exit, ICE shooting puts glaring national spotlight on Minnesota

    In any other week, at any other time, the abrupt end of a governor’s reelection campaign would be the kind of momentous story that dominates the headlines for many days — but this isn’t one of those weeks. Minnesota is under tremendous pressure from internal and external forces. Any sense of civic cohesion is being strained.   On this special episode of Politics Friday, MPR News politics editor Brian Bakst talks with All Things Considered host Clay Masters and Capitol correspondent Dana Ferguson about a week that will go down as one of the most memorable in Minnesota history. The trio puts it into context and discusses how it will shape the election-year ahead. Guests: Clay Masters is the host All Things Considered for MPR News.Dana Ferguson is a political correspondent for MPR News.  Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.  Subscribe to the Politics Friday podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or RSS.

    23 min

  6. 6 JAN

    Politics Friday Special: Walz gives deeper explanation about decision to abandon bid for third term

    In a momentous start to the 2026 election year, Gov. Tim Walz announced he would end his reelection campaign. The announcement itself was scripted and restrained. The next day, Walz took questions about the decision and the gloves came off. On this special broadcast of Politics Friday, MPR News host Clay Masters and politics editor Brian Bakst cover Walz’s first press conference since dropping out of the race. In it, Walz described the change of course as a personal one rather than a reflection on his chances of winning the race. He also commented on fraud investigations, Trump administration actions affecting Minnesotans and the pressure he plans to put on state lawmakers over gun safety and other issues. The special also includes comments from former Democratic Congressman Dean Phillips and from Republican House Speaker Lisa Demuth. Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.  Subscribe to the Politics Friday podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or RSS.

    32 min

  7. 07/11/2025

    Politics Friday: With Election 2025 in rearview mirror, eyes are now on 2026

    It was an eventful off-year election across the country. In Minnesota, St. Paul elected a new mayor, state Rep. Kaohly Her. It was in a surprise repudiation of the incumbent, Mayor Melvin Carter.  Across the river, Minneapolis voters gave their mayor, Jacob Frey, another term.   As the dust settles from the the 2025 election, momentum for the 2026 midterms is picking up. Minnesota will see an election as big as they come as voters will elect a governor, a new U.S. senator, key positions from the attorney general to the secretary of state, eight members of the U.S. House and the entire state Legislature — which is now as closely divided as ever.  MPR News politics editor Brian Bakst and a pair of political analysts look back at this week’s voting and look ahead to what’s in store next year.  Later in the hour, a Republican U.S. Senate candidate Adam Schwarze made his case on why he’s running and what he’ll have to navigate to reach the fall ballot.  Updated on Nov. 13: There were some points in Schwarze’s interview where he referenced proven and alleged fraud in government-managed programs in Minnesota that required a closer look. He said “it’s purported now $6-8 billion that Peggy Flanagan and Tim Walz spent on fraudulent donations to foreign interest groups this last term.” Fraud is a legitimate public concern — one that is causing the Walz administration political problems and leading to new administration actions to detect and prevent it. There have been no independent or official reports that have the numbers that high. The suggestion that it was for “donations to foreign interest groups” is a stretch — even as some nutrition aid wound up being transferred abroad by alleged or convicted scammers. Federal prosecutor Joe Thompson, the lead U.S. attorney on the Feeding Our Future and other fraud investigations involving federal passthrough dollars, has said publicly that fraud in Minnesota is believed to be “in the billions of dollars.” Further into the interview, Schwarze claimed that Flanagan, the current lieutenant governor and a Democratic U.S. Senate candidate, “racked up $354,000 on a government credit card” over two years without receipts. The attribution to Flanagan is false, according to auditors who first used that accurately cited figure in a recent audit. Legislative Auditor Judy Randall told MPR News this week that Flanagan wasn’t issued a purchasing card during the period reviewed. “Those payments related to Governor’s Office employees (not the Lieutenant Governor) who had state purchasing cards during that period,” Randall said, relaying a message from the auditor directly involved in the review. The audit did raise concern over lack of required documentation tied to the expenses, but the governor’s office said new procedures have since been put in place to address the reporting gaps. Guests: Chas Anderson is the co-CEO and senior principal at Park Street Public and a longtime Republican strategist. Todd Rapp is the president and CEO at Rapp Strategies and a veteran DFL strategist. Adam Schwarze is U.S. Marine veteran and former Navy SEAL seeking the Republican nomination for Minnesota’s U.S. Senate seat. Peter Cox is a correspondent for MPR News.Michelle Griffith is a reporter for the Minnesota Reformer.Nathaniel Minor is a reporter for the Minnesota Star Tribune. Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation or subscribe to the Politics Friday podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or RSS.

    50 min

  8. 31/10/2025

    Minneapolis mayoral candidates make their cases to lead state's biggest city

    Voters in Minneapolis are electing a mayor this fall, and it's a crowded race with 15 names on the ballot. Four of the leading candidates for Minneapolis mayor address key issues and how they intend to lead their city in a MPR News/Minnesota Star Tribune debate. The candidates were selected because they’ve been the most active in their contacts with voters and in putting resources into the race. Incumbent Jacob Frey, state Sen. Omar Fateh, business owner and attorney Jazz Hampton and minister DeWayne Davis address public safety, property taxes, minimum wage and downtown development. MPR News senior editor Brandt Williams and The Minnesota Star Tribune’s metro columnist Eric Roper moderated the Minneapolis mayoral candidate debate from the UBS Forum in downtown St. Paul. MPR News/Star Tribune debate Minneapolis mayor candidates differ over policing, minimum wage at This event was recorded on Oct. 27. Watch the video stream of the debate on the MPR News YouTube channel. Guests: Jacob Frey is the two-term incumbent mayor for the city of Minneapolis. Omar Fateh is a DFL state senator serving Minneapolis. Jazz Hampton is a business owner and attorney in Minneapolis. DeWayne Davis is the lead minister of the Plymouth Congregational Church of Minneapolis. Use the audio player above to listen to the full debate or subscribe to the Politics Friday podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or RSS.

    55 min
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About

Weekly updates from Brian Bakst and the Minnesota Public Radio newsroom staff covering politics in Minnesota.

Information

  • Creator
    Minnesota Public Radio
  • Years Active
    2006 - 2026
  • Episodes
    30
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Minnesota Public Radio
  • Show Website
    Politics Friday

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