Will a special session work without prior deal? House leaders assess possibility

Minnesota’s House of Representatives has been tested in the last year by a political tie, a lawmaker’s assassination and now consideration of a special session to respond to high-profile acts of violence.In their first joint interview, MPR News politics editor Brian Bakst speaks with Republican Speaker Lisa Demuth and new DFL Leader Zack Stephenson about their hopes and expectations for a special session. Gov. Tim Walz might call one even if lawmakers lack a prior agreement on what gets considered and possibly brought to votes.Their conversation also explores how the two will work together in 2026, an election year where nothing is required of lawmakers in their February-to-May session.Later, author Lori Sturdevant talks about her new book on Martin Sabo, a former Minnesota House speaker and venerable congressman whose career spanned almost five full decades.Guests: Republican Speaker of the Minnesota House Lisa DemuthDFL Caucus Leader Rep. Zack Stephenson Lori Sturdevant, author of “Martin Sabo: The Making of the Modern Legislature”Subscribe to the Politics Friday podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or RSS. Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation. 

With just a little over a year until the 2026 midterms, office-seeking Minnesotans are building their campaigns for the state’s top political positions.On the Republican side, several candidates are vying for a GOP nomination to replace Democratic Gov. Tim Walz, although Walz has yet to state if he’ll try for an unusual third term.Some prominent DFLers are campaigning hard for an open U.S. Senate seat as Sen. Tina Smith prepares to retire at the end of her term.MPR News politics editor Brian Bakst introduces us to two candidates: Republican candidate for governor Kendall Qualls and Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Angie Craig, a member of the U.S. House currently representing the state’s 2nd District.Also, how likely is a special session for state lawmakers? Walz has hinted at a potential emergency legislative session to address gun possession, mental health care access and school safety issues. MPR News reporters Clay Masters and Dana Ferguson break down the latest from the state Capitol.Guests: Democratic U.S. Rep. Angie Craig is pursuing a Senate seat in 2026. Rep. Craig represents Minnesota’s 2nd Congressional District and handily won her fourth term in 2024.Kendall Qualls is an Army veteran and a Republican candidate running for Minnesota’s 2026 governor’s race. Qualls is a former business executive who has led conservative advocacy groups in recent years and ran for the post in 2022. The discussion with Rep. Craig was recorded at the Minnesota State Fair on Aug. 28 and was lighted edited for the broadcast. The full conversation can be heard on the Politics Friday podcast. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or RSS.   

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.