THERE SEEMS TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A BLOCK THERE.

♪ >> Eric: WE GOT PRESIDENT TRUMP'S STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS, COMPETING PLANS HERE IN MINNESOTA TO COMBAT FRAUD, FEBRUARY FORECAST, SO, MANY TOPICS AND SO LITTLE TIME, NOT THE TO MENTION THE POLITICAL CONTROVERSY SURROUNDING OLYMPIC HOCKEY.

REPUBLICANS UP FIRST TONIGHT BRIAN MCCLUNG, FORMER PAWLENTY STAFFER NOW P AT THE CREATIVELY NAMED CREATIVELYNAME NAMED MCCLUNG FI.

EMILY NOVOTNY CHANCE IS A FORMER WHITE HOUSE INTERN AND LEGISLATIVE ASSISTANT IN THE STATE SENATE.

SHE IS THE YOUNGEST NATIONAL REPUBLICAN COMMITTEEWOMAN IN THE COUNTRY.

DEMOCRATS ON THE COUCH TONIGHT, SARA LOPEZ IS A PARTY ACTIVIST AND POLICY DIRECTOR AT UNIDOS MINNESOTA.

AND ABOU AMARA IS A FORMER LEGISLATIVE STAFFER TURNED ATTORNEY.

BRIAN, WITH HE FORECAST AND STATE OF THE UNION SPEECH, I WONDER IF THE PRESIDENT, AND HE'S CALLING HIS RETRIBUTION TO MINNESOTA, DOES IT HELP, URT OR MAKE NO DIFFERENCE TO REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES IN 2026?

>> WELL, LOOK, IT'S THE MIDTERM AND THE MIDTERM IS ALWAYS TOUGH FOR THE PARTY THAT'S IN THE WHITE HOUSE.

SO I THINK THAT'S A BASELINE GIVEN.

BUT I THINK IN MINNESOTA THINGS ARE DIFFERENT BECAUSE MINNESOTANS ARE REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE FRAUD THAT'S BEEN HAPPENING.

SO WE SEE $9 BILLION WORTH OF FRAUD AND THE U.S.

ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IS NOT LETTING THAT GO, RIGHT?

THEY'RE COMING BACK ON IT, CERTAINLY THEY'VE HAD STAFFING ISSUES, ET CETERA BUT THIS IS NOT GOING AWAY AND NOW THE WHITE HOUSE HAS PUT A FREEZE ON MEDICAID RIGHT NOW IN MINNESOTA BECAUSE THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.

SO YOU'RE GOING TO SEE MINNESOTANS CONCERNED AND WORRIED ABOUT THAT.

AND I THINK THAT'S AN ISSUE YOU HAVE TO CHANGE THINGS, RIGHT?

IF YOU WANT TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE FRAUD YOU HAVE TO CHANGE THINGS AND THAT MEANS REPUBLICANS.

>> 100%.

HITTING ON THE MEDICAID ISSUE, THE GOVERNOR COMMISSIONED THAT $2 MILLION STUDY ON -- AUDIO CUT OUT ] -- AUTISM AND CAME OUT WITH A FULLY REDACTED REPORT -- >> ACCOUNTABILITY AND ACTUALLY SAID I AM RESPONSIBLE, I'M NOT GOING TO BE THE ONE RUNNING FOR OFFICE AND I'M GOING TO FOCUS ON THIS PROBLEM.

ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL YOU'RE MISSING SOMETHING, IT'S CALLED TIM WALZ -- SOMETHING YOU'RE GOING TO BE MAKING AGAINST AMY KLOBUCHAR.

>> IT'S QUITE SIMPLE, WE HAD U.S.

CITIZENS RELEASED FROM THE WHIPPLE TODAY, RIGHT?

AND PEOPLE ARE VERY CONCERNED FOR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS BEING ASSERTED AND ADDITIONALLY I DO BELIEVE THAT I MEAN FRAUD, NOBODY ON THIS COUCH, NOBODY IN THE PARTY, NOBODY IN THE D.F.L., NOBODY IN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY BELIEVES FRAUD IS GOOD.

THERE'S A LOT OF ATTEMPTS TO COMBAT IT SO I DO THINK THAT THE PRESENCE OF I.C.E.

IS STILL VERY MUCH FELT -- THAT'S A HUGE COMMUNITY THAT'S REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING.

THERE'S -- IN HOUSING.

SO THE PEOPLE ARE FEELING EFFECTS OF THE OCCUPATION.

>> AND IF YOU JUST SAW WHAT CHIEF JUDGE SCHULTZ, MINNESOTA CONSERVATIVE JURIST HAS SAID THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS VIOLATED HUNDREDS OF ORDERS.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT MINNESOTANS REGARDLESS OF FAR LEFT OR FAR RIGHT THEY CARE ABOUT THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES AND WHEN THERE'S EXECUTIVE OVERREACH BY THE PRESIDENT.

>> WELL, HERE'S THE THING, THOUGH, THE REAL FIGHT ON THE BALLOT THIS YEAR IS GOING TO BE AT THE LEGISLATIVE LEVEL.

RIGHT?

AND SO IN THOSE STATE SENATE AND STATE HOUSE RACES WHERE PEOPLE KNOW THE CANDIDATES WHO ARE RUNNING FOR OFFICE, THEY'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING FOR ACCOUNTABILITY.

AND THAT HAS BEEN SORELY LACKING IN MINNESOTA STATE GOVERNMENT FOR TOO LONG.

SO, SURE, RIGHT, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT AT DIFFERENT LEVELS THE FEDERAL LEVEL, ET CETERA BUT I THINK WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO THOSE STATE HOUSE AND STATE SENATE RACES PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE ASKING THEIR CANDIDATES WHAT WERE YOU DOING TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR TAX DOLLARS WEREN'T WASTED.

WE USED TO SAY IN MINNESOTA, SURE OUR TAXES ARE HIGH BUT IT'S OKAY BECAUSE WE GET GOOD VALUE FOR THOSE TAXES, THAT HASN'T BEEN THE CASE RECENTLY.

>> THERE IS A LOT OF INTEREST IN ACCOUNTABILITY.

33,000 D.F.L.ERS CAUCUSED, COMPARED TO 18,000GOP.

>> IT'S STILL LOW, EITHER SIDE IS LOW.

>> THERE IS POLITICAL CONSEQUENCES COMING.

>> Cathy: YOU MENTIONED THE GOVERNOR AND I'M WONDERING WHAT'S GOING ON, IT WAS INTERESTING TO WATCH SOME OF HIS .F.L.

COLLEAGUES IN THE LEGISLATURE ARE PUBLICLY DISAGREEING WITH HIM SO THE LAME DUCK STATUS, LAME DUCK BADGE IS KIND OF PENNED ON HIM AT THIS POINT.

INTERESTING TO SEE THE PUSHBACK?

>> I'M NOT SURPRISED AT ALL.

WE OFTEN SAY WE'RE NOT MEMBERS OF AN ORGANIZED PARTY, WE'RE MEMBERS OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.

THERE'S TUSSLE AND BACK AND FORTH, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT IT A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, I'M NOT SURPRISED.

THAT'S WHERE IT'S SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN, BUT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND MOVING FORWARD TIM WALZ IS FOCUSED ON THIS PROBLEM, LEGISLATORS ARE GOING TO BE ON THE BALLOT, UNLIKE HIM.

>> Eric: IT'S NOT CLEAR WHETHER THE LEGISLATURE CAN FOLLOW THE FEDERAL LEAVE AND OVER TIME AND -- OVERTIME AND TIPS NO TAX.

THAT'S PRETTY POPULAR, THOUGH, ISN'T IT, EVEN THOUGH A BIG NUMBER.

IS THAT AN ISSUE IF THE DEMOCRATS WANT TO PUT A TAX ON SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANIES OR SOMETHING, IS THAT GOING TO PLAY?

>> I DON'T THINK SO.

THE REPUBLICANS TODAY WHEN THEY CAME OUT WITH THEIR OWN PRESS CONFERENCE AFTER THE GOVERNOR, SPEAKER DEMUTH WAS TALKING ABOUT TAX UNIFORMITY, HOW SHE'D LOVE TO GET THERE RIGHT AWAY BUT IT'S GOING TO TAKE TIME TO GET THERE.

BUT I THINK MINNESOTANS ARE SEEING IT S THEY'RE FILING THEIR TAX RETURNS, I KNOW EVERYDAY BLUE COLLAR WORKERS THAT ARE SEEING MORE MONEY IN THEIR POCKETS AS A RESULT OF TRUMP TAX CUTS.

>> WELL, AND THIS IS THE THING IS THAT WHEN DONALD TRUMP PROPOSED NO TAX ON TIPS, NO TAX ON OVERTIME, HE KNEW THAT THAT WAS APPEALING TO VOTERS [ UDIO CUT OUT ] WHO LARGELY VOTED FOR DEMOCRATS, RIGHT?

THAT WILL ONE OF THE WAYS HE WAS ABLE TO BROADEN HIS COALITION AND FOR DEMOCRATS TO SAY, NO, WE'RE GOING TO TAX YOUR TIPS, YOU'RE A SERVER WORKING HARD, SOMEBODY WHO'S WORKING OVERTIME ON A CONSTRUCTION JOB, NO, WE'RE GOING TO TAX THAT, I THINK THAT IS A TERRIBLE POSITION FOR MINNESOTA DEMOCRATS TO BE IN, THEY'RE GOING TO PUSH BACK AGAINST THEIR OWN BASE IN MANY WAYS AND THESE ARE SWING VOTERS THAT THEN I THINK HAVE ONE FOR REPUBLICANS AND COULD DO THAT AGAIN.

>> I THINK THAT'S PLURALISM AND I DO BELIEVE THAT -- HAVE CORPORATIONS PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THERE'S -- LIKE WE ALL -- ABOUT EVERYBODY PEOPLE PAYING THE FAIR SHARE OF THE IE.

THAT'S PLURALISM.

>> THE DEMOCRAT SOLUTION IS ALWAYS JUST TO RAISE TAXES.

MORE TAXES, MORE TAXES, MORE TAXES, REPUBLICANS WANT TO -- >> PAYING THEIR FAIR SHARE -- >> DONALD TRUMP RAISED 173 -- THROUGH TARIFFS.

>> SPEAKING OF TAXES YOU KNOW HOW PEOPLE WERE REALLY, REALLY UPSET WITH THEIR PROPERTY TAX BILLS WHEN THEY SAW THEM THIS PAST FALL?

ANY HINT OF ANY PROPERTY TAX RELIEF AT ALL IN THE SESSION?

OR IS THAT JUST A NONSTARTER >> YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY HARD TO SEE THIS LEGISLATURE SPENDING ANY MONEY.

RIGHT?

WHETHER ON TAX CUTS, WHETHER ON NEW PROGRAMS, ET CETERA, RIGHT, AGAIN, BACK TO WHAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOR THESE AST COUPLE YEARS, 67-67 IN THE HOUSE, 34-33 IN THE SENATE.

AND YOU'VE SEEN EVEN BILLS THAT HAVE COME UP IN THE COMMITTEE SO FAR, MANY OF THEM FAILING.

HOUSE COMMITTEE -- SO I THINK -- MAYBE WOULD GIVE PEOPLE A LITTLE BIT OF BREATHING ROOM ESPECIALLY IN THE SENSE THAT THAT OUT-BIENNIUM WENT POSITIVE, RIGHT?

THEY'RE STILL SAYING STRUCTURAL DEFICIT BUT SLIGHTLY TO THE POSITIVE THERE AND ANOTHER BILLION DOLLARS IN THE CURRENT.

SO YOU'D THINK IN NORMAL KIND OF, YOU KNOW, SESSION YOU'D SAY PEOPLE WOULD BE LIKE READY TO GO.

BUT THERE'S A LOT OF CAUTION RIGHT NOW AND I DO THINK THAT IT'S NOT LIKELY THAT THEY'RE GOING TO SPEND MONEY ON -- >> WATCH THE CONFERENCE COMMITTEES LATE IN SESSION FOR TARGETED TAX RELIEF.

>> IT LOOKS LIKE SOMEBODY IN THE KNOW TOLD ME THERE ARE 17 TARGETED HOUSE DISTRICTS OF THE 134.

HOW MANY MONEY IS GOING TO BE SPEND ON 17 RACES?

I MEAN, IT'S -- NOT MUCH IS COMPETITIVE HERE.

>> I THINK IF YOU HAVE FIVE TO SEVEN DISTRICTS OU'LL PROBABLY HAVE SOMETHING TO THE TUNE OF 6 TO $8 MILLION SPENT CUMULATIVELY.

IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT THOUGH MARGINALLY THAT'S WHERE THE MAJORITY IS GOING TO LIE.

IT'S GOING TO LIE IN 36,000 VOTERS ACROSS TEN TO 12 DISTRICTS MAYBE.

>> YEAH.

>> AND IT KIND OF MAKES SENSE THAT MONEY WOULD O INTO THOSE EFFORTS.

>> WELL, WE'VE NEVER GONE INTO AN ELECTION CYCLE WITH A TIED HOUSE AND A ONE-SEAT MAJORITY IN THE SENATE, RIGHT?

SO I MEAN THAT IS AS CLOSE AS YOU CAN ACTUALLY BE.

AND SO WHEN YOU HAVE THIS MONEY COMING IN THROUGH, AND LOTS OF IT IS GOING TO BE SPENT THROUGH THE NATIONAL LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEES.

RSCL, DLCC.

THEY'RE GOING TO RAISE A LOT OF MONEY AND MINNESOTA IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT TO THOSE LEGISLATIVE NATIONAL COMMITTEES.

SO I DO THINK OU'RE GOING TO SEE IN, YOU KNOW, ROUGHLY TEN STATE SENATE DISTRICTS, ROUGHLY 20 STATE HOUSE DISTRICTS A RECORD AMOUNT OF MONEY SPENT.

>> SPEAKER DEMUTH FRONTRUNNER FOR REPUBLICAN GOVERNMENT ENDORSEMENT?

>> I'M BOUND TO RESPECT THE DECISION AT THE CONVENTION BECAUSE REPUBLICANS ALLOW A DEMOCRATIC PROCESS WHERE WE PICK OUR CANDIDATE SO I CAN'T COMMENT ON IT THAT UNTIL WE DECIDE AT THE END OF MAY.

>> SHE IS THE FRONT-RUNNER TO BE THE SACK OFFICIAL LAMB AGAINST AMY KLOBUCHAR.

>> OH, MAN, THAT'S ROUGH.

BUT I DO THINK, YOU KNOW, I WAS AT PRECINCT CAUCUSES.

>> WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU WENT?

>> LAST TIME WAS 2018.

[ LAUGHTER ] >> AND BEFORE THAT -- I WENT, I WAS REALLY THERE.

SO EVERYBODY SAID BRIAN, YOU SHOULD ACTUALLY SHOW UP.

SO I WENT.

THERE WERE SIX PEOPLE IN MY PRECINCT, FORMER LEGISLATOR BUZZ ANDERSON WAS PRECINCT CONVENER, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE MINNESOTA RETAILERS ASSOCIATION.

GREAT TO SEE PEOPLE.

WE HAD FOUR VOTES FOR KENDALL QUALLS AND TWO FOR LISA DEMUTH.

I THINK HOSE TWO KIND OF EMERGED AS FRONT-RUNNERS AND MIKE LINDELL WAS IN THIRD PLACE.

SO I THINK THOSE THREE PROBABLY HAVE THE MOST SUPPORT AMONG DELEGATES.

WE'LL SEE HOW THAT PLAYS OUT AS WE GET INTO THE NEXT LEVEL.

I DO THINK SPEAKER DEMUTH IS THE FRONT-RUNNER OVERALL.

>> SAY, I'M WONDERING HERE, SWEENEY'S SALOON IN ST.

PAUL SAYS THEY'LL GIVE A FREE MEAL TO LEGISLATORS IF THEY SHOW UP, REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS SIT TOGETHER.

NOW, WITH ALL THE TALK OF HEATED RHETORIC AND DO WE THINK THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN?

>> I THINK THAT COULD HAPPEN.

I THINK -- REQUIREMENT OF HAVING A PICTURE.

[ LAUGHTER ] YOU KNOW?

>> THERE YOU GO.

>> Eric: THE HOUSE SEEMS TO BE A LITTLE PRICKLY STILL >> Cathy: YEAH, EXACTLY RIGHT.

>> THE HOUSE IS PRICKLY BUT HERE'S THE THING UNDERNEATH ALL OF THAT THERE ARE LOTS OF LAWMAKERS WHO REALLY LIKE EACH OTHER.

AND I ACTUALLY RETWEETED FRED MELO'S TWEET ON THIS, IF YOU OPEN IT UP TO PR HACKS AND LOBBYISTS AND THE REST OF US THEY MIGHT GO OUT OF BUSINESS, RIGHT?

LIKE THERE ARE A LOT OF US WHO DO RESPECT AND GET ALONG WITH EACH OTHER.

GOOD FOR SWEENEY'S.

I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT SENTIMENT AND I HOPE