>>> WE'VE COVERED MINNEAPOLIS CITY POLITICS AND NATIONAL POLITICS, AND WHAT'S LEFT?

BOTH THE REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRATIC STATE CONVENTIONS OPENED EARLIER TODAY, AND THERE'S BEEN SOME NEWS FROM BOTH SIDES ALREADY.

SPECIAL EDITION OF THE POLITICAL PANEL TO ROUND IT UP.

DEMOCRATS FIRST TONIGHT.

REPRESENTATIVE SANDRA FEIST FROM NEW BRIGHTON, SOON TO BE FORMER LAWMAKER, NOT RUNNING FOR RE-ELECTION THIS FALL.

AND MARA, FORMER LEGISLATIVE STAFFER AND NOW ATTORNEY.

REPUBLICANS, SENATOR CARLA NELSON HAILS FROM ROCHESTER.

SHE TOO IS RETIRING AT THE END OF THIS YEAR.

ROUNDING OUT THE GROUP, ANDREA BRAHAM IS A FORMER PRESS SECRETARY FOR NORM COLEMAN, NOW A LAWYER AND COLUMNIST OR THE MINNESOTA STAR TRIBUNE.

ANDY, WHO IS ADAM THIS JUAREZY WITH MICHELLE TAFOYA IN THE FIELD?

>>> I THINK HE'S AN I AM IMPRESSIVE GUY.

HE HAS WORKED EXTREMELY HARD, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND.

THAT'S WHAT IT TAKES TO LOCK UP AN ENDORSEMENT.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, MICHELLE TAFOYA I THINK WILL BE THE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE.

I THINK SHE WILL BE THE U.S.

SENATOR FOR MINNESOTA.

>>> IN THE PRIMARY SHE'S GOING?

>>> I BELIEVE THAT.

BUT, LISTEN, I'VE NEVER SAID THIS KIND OF HEALTHY COMPETITION IS A BAD THING FOR OUR PARTY.

SO, YOU KNOW, ADAM HAS DONE A NICE JOB AND I WISH HIM WELL, AND IF HE'S ABLE TO LOCK UP THE ENDORSEMENT, GREAT.

I DON'T THINK HE'LL E OUR CANDIDATE.

BUT I LIKE A LOT WHAT I'M HEARING ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN DULUTH.

>>> I DISAGREE.

IF YOU LOOK HISTORICALLY SINCE 2010, DEMOCRATS OFTEN WILL ENDORSE SOMEBODY, BUT THAT PERSON DOESN'T WIN IN THE AUGUST PRIMARY.

THAT IS NOT TRUE IN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.

NEEDING THE REPUBLICAN PARTY ENDORSEMENT IS ESSENTIAL.

TIM PAWLENTY COULDN'T EVEN WIN THE PRIMARY IN 2018, BECAUSE HE DIDN'T HAVE THE ENDORSEMENT.

IF YOU DON'T AVE THE ENDORSEMENT ON THE REPUBLICAN SIDE, YOU'RE DONE.

>>> SENATOR.

>>> WELL, I THINK MICHELLE TAFOYA IS A STRONG CANDIDATE.

AND I THINK MOST OF US REALIZE THAT, YOU KNOW WHAT, WE WANT THE STRONGEST PERSON THAT'S GOING TO WIN.

WE NEED TO HAVE A REPUBLICAN IN THAT U.S.

SENATE SEAT.

AND I HINK IT'S A MATTER OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S -- WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THESE TWO CANDIDATES.

AND WHO HAS GOT THE BEST CHANCE TO WIN.

SO I THINK THERE PROBABLY WILL BE A PRIMARY ON THE REPUBLICAN SIDE.

BUT THERE WILL BE ON THE DEMOCRAT SIDE, TOO.

SO, YOU KNOW, PEGGY FLANAGAN AND HER CHALLENGER FROM THE DEMOCRATS ARE NOT EVEN -- SHE'S NOT EVEN GOING -- >>> DO YOU THINK THERE WILL BE AN ENDORSEMENT, SENATOR?

>>> IT'S HARD TO SAY IF THERE WILL BE AN ENDORSEMENT.

WE KNOW THERE WILL BE A PRIMARY.

AND I THINK THERE WILL BE A PRIMARY ON THE DFL SIDE, TOO.

SO WHAT HUH SHOWS US IS THE IMPORTANCE, REALLY, OF GETTING OUT THOSE INSPECT OUT THOSE INSPEDEPENDENT VOTERS BOTH AT THE PRIMARY AND GENERAL ELECTION.

>>> DFL AND SENATE PRIMARY, WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN?

>>> I DON'T THINK THERE IS A MYSTERY THERE.

PEGGY FLANAGAN IS OUR ONLY CANDIDATE AT THIS POINT, SINCE ANGIE CRAIG DECIDED SHE WAS NOT ABLE TO GET THE SUPPORT OF DFLers.

>>> WHY DIDN'T SHE DO BETTER?

I THINK SHE HAD 11% OF THE DELEGATES OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

TO START OFF.

>>> YEAH, WELL, I THINK THAT DFLers WANT PEOPLE TO SUPPORT DFL VALUES AND I THINK THAT ANGIE CRAIG DID NOT SERVE HER WELL WITH DFL VOTERS.

>>> DO YOU AGREE WITH THAT?

>>> I THINK PEGGY HAS MORE EXPERIENCE.

SHE HAS BEEN DOING THIS FOR 10, 20 YEARS AT THE DEMOCRATIC BASE LEVEL.

THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN KIND OF GRASS ROOTS DFL POLITICS AND KIND OF DEMOCRATIC POLITICS, GENERALLY.

I THINK THERE IS A DIFFERENCE.

PEGGY HAS BEEN DOING IT MORE.

DOESN'T MEAN SHE IS GOING TO WIN IN AUGUST.

I THINK RESOURCE IS GOING TO BE AN POSSIBILITY QUESTION.

PEGGY WILL PROBABLY HAVE TO RAISE $4 MILLION IN THE NEXT FOUR MONTHS.

AND THAT'S GOING TO BE A VERY TOUGH SLED, JUST QUITE HONESTLY.

>>> WHAT ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT THE -- IF IT HAD TURNED OUT BEING FLANAGAN VERSUS WHOMEVER ON THE REPUBLICAN SIDE?

IS SHE A TARGET-RICH ENVIRONMENT FOR REPUBLICANS, OR -- WHAT WOULD YOU SAY?

>>> I'M VERY MUCH ROOTING FOR PEGGY FLANAGAN TO BE THE NOMINEE.

SHE IS ABOUT AS FAR LEFT AS YOU GET.

SHE HAS SELF-DESCRIBED HER CAMPAIGN SLOGAN AS AVENGING MINNESOTA.

WHAT AN INSPIRING CAMPAIGN TOPIC.

PEOPLE HAVE REAL PROBLEMS, THEY WANT A U.S.

SENATOR WHO WILL FOCUS ON THAT.

SHE HAS NEVER WORKED IN THE PRIVATE ECTOR AT ALL.

SHE IS EXTREME ON PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING.

BUT SHE IS REPRESENTATIVE OF WHERE THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY IS IN THE STATE, WHILE THE COUNTRY AND THE STATE HAS MOVED TOWARD THE MIDDLE, THE MINNESOTA CONFIDENTIAL IS AS FAR LEFT AS EVER.

SO I THINK SHE'S VERY BEATABLE.

>>> WHAT DOES PRESIDENT TRUMP'S PERFORMANCE ADD TO THE CAMPAIGN IN MINNESOTA?

>>> WELL -- >>> A REFERENDUM ON HIM, OR -- >>> WELL, I THINK THE DEMOCRATS WOULD LIKE TO MAKE IT A REFERENDUM ON THE PRESIDENT.

FACT OF THE MATTER IS, WHAT DID THE DEMOCRATS DO HERE WHEN THEY WERE IN THE MAJORITY?

AND WHAT WE SAW, OF COURSE, WAS USING UP 40% INCREASING THE STATE SPENDING BY 40%, GETTING RID OF $18 BILLION SURPLUS, GONE LIKE THAT.

$10 BILLION OF NEW TAXES.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, THERE WAS ALL THE VERY LIBERAL POLICIES THAT WENT WITH THAT.

SO MINNESOTANS REALLY DON'T WANT TO SEE THAT AGAIN.

>>> YOU WERE ONE OF THOSE PARTICIPATING IN THAT AGENDA.

>>> I WAS.

AND I WAS REALLY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT WE DID DURING THE TRIFECTA TERM.

WE PASSED REALLY IMPORTANT, LONG-HELD GOALS.

WE PASSED PAID FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE, EARNED SICK AND SAFE TIME.

WE GOT DRIVER'S LICENSE FOR ALL.

WE ALSO MADE DEEP INVESTMENTS IN PUBLIC SAFETY.

I'M THE VICE CHAIR OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE AND I'M REALLY PROUD OF THOSE INVESTMENTS.

WE HAD A LOT OF WORK THAT WAS OVERDUE, DUE TO THE DIVIDED LEGISLATURE OVER SEVERAL DECADES AND WE GOT THAT WORK DONE AND THE PEOPLE OF MINNESOTA APPRECIATED IT.

>>> SO AS WE SPEAK ON FRIDAY NIGHT, WE HAVE THE REPUBLICANS DOING THEIR SENATE ENDORSEMENT, AND DFLers, OF COURSE, GOVERNOR.

WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THE SENATOR KLOBUCHAR -- THE DEMOCRATIC GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE.

WHAT ABOUT HER RUNNING MATE?

>>> SO I THINK THIS IS A PERFECT MOVE.

I TALKED ABOUT THE PROFILE OF WHO I THINK AMY KLOBUCHAR NEEDED TO PICK.

I THINK SHE NEEDED TO PICK SOMEBODY WHO HAD LOCAL GOVERNMENT EXPERIENCE.

I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.

SECOND, I THINK SHE NEEDED TO PICK SOMEBODY THAT WAS FROM GREATER MINNESOTA.

THIRD, I THINK SHE NEEDED TO PICK SOMEBODY THAT SHE REALLY HAD A GOOD PERSONAL WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH.

YOU'RE NOT PICKING THIS PERSON 3 BECAUSE YOU NEED TO PICK THIS PERSON.

YOU'RE PICKING BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO BE GOVERNING WITH THEM AND SO THEY HAVE TO HAVE A GOOD RELATIONSHIP.

WE HEARD SENATOR KLOBUCHAR TALK ABOUT THAT IN HER TIME AS A SENATOR.

AND I THINK HE FITS THE BILL.

>>> FOLKS, DO YOU KNOW -- WE SHOULD PROBABLY BROWSE HIM.

>>> BRAD CHARA.

NEWS EVERYWHERE.

>>> SPEAKER DEMUTH AND MIKE LINDELL, COMPETING ON THE REPUBLICAN SIDE FOR GOVERNOR.

COULD ROYCE END UP BEING LINDELL'S RUNNING MATE SINCE HE'S BEEN DROPPED FROM THE SENATE STUFF TODAY?

I HEARD THAT FROM SOMEBODY THIS AFTERNOON.

>>> WHO KNOWS.

I MEAN, THE LINDELL CANDIDACY IS A BIT OF A JOKE, AND ROYCE WHITE IS ABOUT AS UNFIT OF A GUY AS YOU CAN GET.

WHAT I'M HEARING FROM MY FRIENDS AT THE CONVENTION IS REALLY 3 REPUBLICANS ARE FOCUSED ON WINNING.

THEY WANT A CANDIDATE HAT IS ELECTABLE.

THEY DON'T WANT TO MAKE THE SAME MISTAKES THEY'VE MADE, WHICH IS MUSIC TO MY EARS.

SO I DON'T THINK LINDELL IS GOING TO END UP DOING WELL AT ALL.

>>> IS DEMUTH A FRONT RUNNER?

>>> YES, I THINK SHE IS -- >>> SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE.

>>> SHE IS THE ONLY ONE THAT HAS LEGISLATIVE EXPERIENCE AND WE ALL KNOW HOW MPORTANT IT IS THAT A GOVERNOR HAS SOME EXPERIENCE WITH THE LEGISLATURE.

ALSO, SHE'S THE ONLY ONE THAT'S DONE SOME OF THOSE VERY AST END OF SESSION NEGOTIATIONS.

SO I THINK SHE'S DEFINITELY THE FRONT RUNNER.

>>> GUNS AS AN ISSUE IN THE FALL CAMPAIGN.

WHERE DOES IT PLAY?

>>> WELL, I THINK IT'S REALLY POSSIBILITY TO THE MAJORITY OF MINNESOTA VOTERS.

I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE VERY FRUSTRATED THAT WE WEREN'T ABLE TO ADVANCE LEGISLATION TO ADDRESS UN VIOLENCE IN MINNESOTA, AND THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT IN THE LAST DAYS OF THE SESSION THERE WERE PEOPLE FILLING THE CAPITOL, CALLING FOR US TO HEAR LEGISLATION THAT WOULD ADDRESS GUN VIOLENCE, THAT WOULD LOOK AT WEAPONS OF WAR ON OUR STREETS AND THAT IS A BIG ISSUE.

>>> WHEN YOU THINK OF WHAT MINNESOTA HUH HAS BEEN THROUGH WITH THE ASSASSINATION OF MELISSA HORTMAN AND JOHN HALFMAN, MINNESOTANS WILL FIND THIS UNACCEPTABLE THAT NO ACTION WAS TAKEN ON THIS ISSUE AND IT'S GOING TO MATTER IN THE DISTRICTS WHERE DEMOCRATS NEED TO WIN IN THE SUBURBS TO MAINTAIN MAJORITIES.

>>> WHEN YOU HAVE A ECORD WHERE GOVERNMENT SPENDING BALLOONED IN THE STATE AND PEOPLE ARE GOING, WHERE DID THAT GO.

OH, IT WENT TO FRAUDSTERS.

WE HAVE BECOME A NATIONAL EMBARRASSMENT.

SO PEOPLE ARE FURIOUS.

MY DEMOCRATIC FRIENDS ARE FURIOUS AND WE NEED A MAJOR CHANGE.

SO IT'S MAYBE THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE.

>>> IT'S WHAT I'M HEARING TOO.

FRAUD.

>>> FRAUD?

>>> YEAH, AND I JUST WANT TO MENTION THAT WE DID SOMETHING REALLY IMPORTANT IN PASSING THE OFFICE OF NSPECTOR GENERAL THAT WAS A BIPARTISAN EFFORT.

I THINK IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT, AND IT WAS RESPONDING TO THIS DESIRE.

>>> I WANT TO GO BACK TO THE DFL CONVENTION FOR JUST A MOMENT.

WHAT DOES IT AY THAT GOVERNOR WALZ IS A NO-SHOW THERE?

>>> WELL, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO SHOW -- TO PROVIDE AMY KLOBUCHAR THE SPACE, TO GROUND 3 HERSELF AS SHE MOVES FORWARD AS THE LEADER OF THE PARTY.

I THINK THAT'S JUST DEFERENCE TO THE FUTURE OF THE PARTY.

I DON'T LOOK AT ANYTHING AT THAT.

>>> SO HE WOULDN'T WANT TO TAKE A VICTORY LAP.

>>> I THINK THERE WOULD BE A PLACE FOR TAT.

I SUSPECT - MAYBE I'M WRONG -- A PLACE AFTER THE ELECTION WHERE HE COULD GIVE A SPEECH TO TALK ABOUT HIS TIME AS GOVERNOR.

BUT RIGHT NOW IT'S ABOUT AMY KLOBUCHAR AND HER MOVING FORWARD.

>>> I THINK IT'S A SAVVY MOVE.

AMY KLOBUCHAR IS A SMART POLITICIAN AND SHE WANTS NOTHING TO DO WITH HIM.

HIS RECORD IS AN ABSOLUTE DISASTER.

DEMOCRATS ARE NOT STUPID.

>>> WE HAVE BEEN WINNING FOR 20 YEARS, WE KNOW.

>>> WELL, WE'LL SEE HOW IT SERVES YOU.

BUT THEY WANT TO RUN AWAY FROM TIM WALZ.

I SURE WOULD.

>>> YEAH AND I THINK WALZ IS CERTAINLY A WEIGHT TO ANY DEMOCRAT RUNNING RIGHT NOW.

BUT THE THING WITH AMY KLOBUCHAR, ON HER GUBERNATORIAL PICK, IT'S A PERSON FROM RURAL MINNESOTA, TRENDING MORE AND MORE RED, WHICH IS VERY RED.

AND THE OTHER THING IS, SO THAT'S MORE OF A REPUBLICAN AREA WHERE THIS GUBERNATORIAL LIEUTENANT OVERNOR CAME FROM.

BUT THE PROBLEM -- >>> REAL QUICK -- >>> WELL, THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE PEOPLE IN ROCHESTER ARE NOT SO EXCITED ABOUT THE FACT THAT SHE'S THE -- THE HEIR APPARENT, WITHOUT EVEN A BATTLE.

>>> ADAM THIS JUAREZY HAS BEEN ENDORSED FOR U.S.

SENATE.

>>> BAD NEWS BEARS FOR ALL THE PRAGMATIC REPUBLICANS.

>>> WE ACTUALLY HAVE CO