Politics Friday: Slow so far, a big phase of Minnesota's marijuana market launch nears

Minnesota was rocked over the weekend by the politically targeted shootings of two state lawmakers. State Rep. Melissa Hortman, a former DFL House Speaker, was fatally shot along with her husband, Mark. DFL State Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, are still recovering after sustaining multiple gunshot wounds. Political leaders and many Minnesotans are still trying to make sense of it all. In the hours after the suspect in those shootings was arrested, MPR News politics editor Brian Bakst, Minnesota Now host Nina Moini and politics reporter Clay Masters spoke with three of the state’s top political leaders. Guests: Gov. Tim Walz is a former Democratic vice presidential candidate and second-term DFL governor of Minnesota.House speaker Lisa Demuth is a Republican from Cold Spring.Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan is a DFLer, a former state representative and a candidate for the U.S. senate.Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation. Subscribe to the Politics Friday podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or RSS.   

Minnesota lawmakers are breathing a bit easier now that they’ve finally adopted a new budget — roughly $66 billion over the next two years. The Legislature met earlier this week for a special session to get the work done. There were protests, long debates, stories of immigration, but lawmakers managed to pass 15 bills in less than one day. On this special podcast edition of Politics Friday, MPR politics editor Brian Bakst and reporter Ellie Roth take us through the action.Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation. Politics Friday won’t be coming to you every Friday this summer but will appear here and there in this podcast feed as events warrant.  Rest assured, we’ll be back to a more-regular cadence this fall.  Subscribe to the Politics Friday podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or RSS.   

It’s been about three weeks since the the Legislature adjourned from the 2025 session without completing a state budget.Since then, teams of negotiators have met, mostly in private, to try to chart a path to the end and craft remaining budget bills. Lawmakers will have to complete this task to avoid a partial government shutdown that would interrupt services in state parks, key health programs, driver’s licensing exams and more. A one-day special session has been called for 10 a.m. Monday. Will there be enough votes to approve a final compromise? MPR News politics editor Brian Bakst talks with two House leaders about a state budget and what could happen if the budget deal isn’t met.  Later in the program, a look at the return-to-office for many state employees and a roundtable with Capitol journalists on everything happening in this not-so-quiet start to summer. Guests:  GOP Floor Leader of the House Harry Niska, Ramsey DFL Floor Leader of the House Jamie Long, Minneapolis Former Commissioner of Minnesota Management and Budget Jim SchowalterSubscribe to the Politics Friday podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or RSS.   Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation. 

The Minnesota Legislature is hanging around a bit longer. The yearly work was supposed to end Monday, May 19 but lawmakers adjourned with unfinished business. Now, they’re gearing up for a special session. Most of the budget is unresolved and the final points of agreement are still not in hand. So when might this be done and is a government shutdown a possibility?MPR News politics editor Brian Bakst speaks with Gov. Tim Walz about the legislative session and his role in settling the budget dispute. He is urging lawmakers to avoid the worst-case scenario, which would be entering July without a budget. Later in the program, political analysts unpack the political landscape amid the action and inaction in Minnesota and Washington. Guests:   Tim Walz is a former Democratic vice presidential candidate and second-term DFL governor of Minnesota.Abou Amara is a Democratic political analyst and Twin Cities attorney.  Preya Samsundar is a political analyst and a GOP strategist. Subscribe to the Politics Friday podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or RSS.   Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation. 

The end of the Minnesota Legislature’s session was supposed to be right around the corner — Monday, May 19 — but just like the choppy start of this year’s session, the ending is proving to be difficult. Back in January, a politically tied House got off to a delayed start. Now, the possibility of a special session looms over the Capitol.  MPR News politics editor Brian Bakst speaks with legislative leaders about the state budget and the final push to the end of this session.  Guests:  GOP Floor Leader of the House Harry Niska, Ramsey DFL Floor Leader of the House Jamie Long, Minneapolis Senate Republican Leader Mark Johnson, East Grand Forks    Subscribe to the Politics Friday podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or RSS.   Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.

Almost 40 percent of the state budget goes to preschool through high school education – around $25 billion over two years. For school districts, state dollars make up most of what gets spent on classroom costs, from teacher salaries to specialists to materials. So it’s no surprise that the education budget bill is always one of the last to come together. MPR News politics editor discusses what’s happening in schools and the direction state lawmakers might go when setting a new education budget.  The Legislature’s finale is near, but the new state budget is still a work in progress. And it’s going to take some long days and long nights to meet the May 19 adjournment deadline. Guests:  Rep. Cheryl Youakim, DLF-Hopkins, is co-chair of Education Finance Sen. Jason Rarick, R-Pine City, is the ranking minority member of the Education Finance Committee Subscribe to the Politics Friday podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or RSS.   

This month marks two years since Minnesota lawmakers passed the bill to legalize marijuana use and possession for adults 21 and older. Commercial sales have taken a bit of time to get going. Outside of Minnesota tribal communities and the medical cannabis program, the retail space is still taking shape. The initial licenses around cultivation, transportation, distribution and sales could be issued soon. Even then, it will take time for everything to shake out. What might it look like and how will the market interact with established tribal operations? MPR News politics editor Brian Bakst discusses both with his guests. Then, time is flying by at the Capitol. We’ll get an update on the budget deliberations a little more than two weeks from the retired adjournment. Guests: Melissa Olson is a reporter for the MPR News Native News Initiative and a contributor to the North Star Journey series. She is also an essayist and community archivist.   Eric Taubel is the interim director for Minnesota’s Office of Cannabis Management. Senate Finance Committee Chair John Marty, DFL-RosevilleHouse Ways and Means Committee Co-Chair Paul Torkelson, R-HanskaSubscribe to the Politics Friday podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or RSS.   

Gov. Tim Walz had his chance this week to assess the condition of Minnesota in a speech where he spent a lot of time focused on what the president is up to.Had November’s election ended differently, Peggy Flanagan would have been the one delivering the State of the State address at the Minnesota Capitol. Instead, the DFL lieutenant governor was seated beside Walz at this week’s speech. She’s running for the U.S. Senate in 2026. Flanagan has competition for the DFL nomination. So how is she introducing herself and what sets her apart? She speaks with MPR News politics editor Brian Bakst. Then, a look at President Donald Trump’s actions immigration. MPR News reporter Sarah Thamer explains how the get-tough immigration policies are impacting communities across the state. Later in the program, a round up of the voices heard at the Capitol and a political reporter panel recaps the latest from the Legislature and the governor’s State of the State address. Guests:Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy FlanaganSarah Thamer, senior reporter for the MPR News Race, Class and Communities teamSubscribe to the Politics Friday podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or RSS.   

The Minnesota House and Senate chambers and all the committee rooms have been quiet this week while the Legislature is on recess.The Capitol will be a busy place though as the dash-to-the-finish begins next week. That phase can be filled with strategy, hijinks and downright trickery. In one respect, it’s how the Capitol wound up in St. Paul in the first place. MPR News politics editor Brian Bakst and associate digital producer Anika Besst will revisit that caper — and how one spurned city might finally get recognition. Then, a hunt for the origins of a law that should keep imbibing lawmakers on their best behavior. If not, “habitual drunkenness” could get them removed. Later, MPR economics contributor Chris Farrell looks at the way tariffs of long ago hit in Minnesota. Plus, Peter Cox talks about how a powerhouse baseball team that played more than a century ago could land a plaque at the Capitol complex.Guests:Anika​ Besst is an associate digital producer for MPR News. Chris Farrell is a senior economics contributor for MPR News and Marketplace.  Peter Cox is a general assignment reporter for MPR News and is currently covering politics at the Minnesota Capitol. Subscribe to the Politics Friday podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or RSS.   

The Legislature’s spring recess is approaching and with about six weeks left in the session, many issues still unresolved.Housing is top of mind for many Minnesotans and lawmakers at the Capitol — whether to rewrite zoning standards statewide to encourage construction of more low-to-moderate cost housing. The issue has created some cross-party alliances, but the bills in front of lawmakers haven’t satisfied all who have a stake in the decisions. MPR politics editor Brian Bakst talks with Sen. Lindsey Port, DFL-Burnsville, and the mayor of Prior Lake, Kirt Briggs, about the state’s approach to affordable housing. Plus, Minneapolis city elections will be ones to watch this year as voters elect a city council and a mayor. MPR News reporter Cari Spencer recaps her visit to a recent DFL Caucus gathering. Guests: Sen. Lindsey Port, DFL-Burnsville and chair of the Senate Housing and Homelessness Prevention CommitteeMayor Kirt Briggs, Prior LakeMPR News reporter Cari Spencer, who covers public safety and Minneapolis City Hall