♪♪ >> ERIC: LAWMAKERS WILL BE BACK IN SESSION ON TUESDAY AFTER THE EASTER BREAK.

WHEN THEY RETURN, WE'LL FIND OUT WHAT CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED BEFORE THE MAY 20TH DEADLINE.

WHO BETTER TO PROVIDE INSIGHT ON THAT SUBJECT THAN A GROUP OF FORMER LAWMAKERS.

DEMOCRATS UP FIRST TONIGHT.

FORMER ASSISTANT MAJORITY LEADER EMBER REICHGOTT JUNGE SERVED FOR ALMOST 20 YEARS IN THE MINNESOTA SENATE.

JEFF HAYDEN HAS SERVED IN BOTH CHAMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE, INCLUDING AS ASSISTANT MINORITY LEADER IN THE SENATE.

REPUBLICANS ON THE COUCH: FRITZ KNAAK WAS ALSO AN ASSISTANT MINORITY LEADER IN THE SENATE.

AND FINALLY, OUR NEWEST MEMBER OF THE CLUB, FORMER SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE AND MINORITY LEADER KURT DAUDT, WHO RETIRED FROM HIS SEAT JUST LAST MONTH.

Mr. SPEAKER, WELCOME.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Eric: I WANT TO GO RIGHT TO AN ISSUE, AND THE BONDING BILL IS THE HIGHLIGHT THING, THE MARQUEE OF THE SESSION.

>> YUP, SHOULD BE.

>> Eric: DEMOCRATS DON'T HAVE ENOUGH VOTES TO DO IT BY THEMSELVES, THEY NEED REPUBLICAN VOTES.

IF YOU WERE INVOLVED IN THIS, WHAT WOULD REPUBLICANS NEED TO PROVIDE THE EXTRA VOTES TO GET THIS EXPENSIVE BONDING BILL?

>> WELL, THIS IS ALWAYS THE MILLION-DOLLAR QUESTION, RIGHT?

I MEAN, THIS IS THE ONE ISSUE THAT DEMOCRATS NEED REPUBLICAN VOTES TO GET IT PASSED.

SO, REPUBLICANS SHOULD EXPECT SOMETHING IN RETURN.

THAT'S ALWAYS KIND OF THE WAY IT WORKS.

BUT LAST YEAR, I KNOW, THERE WASN'T MUCH IN EXCHANGE AND I THINK AS LONG AS THERE'S A BILL THAT HAS THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT REPRESENTS DISTRICTS FROM ALL ACROSS THE STATE IN AN EQUITABLE WAY, I THINK EPUBLICANS WILL BE THERE WITH THE VOTES.

>> Eric: EVEN THOUGH IT'S CLOSE TO A BILLION DOLLARS ON TOP OF LAST YEAR?

>> YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S AWFULLY HIGH.

I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF UNLET BOND ROJECTS OUT THERE THAT WE COULD GET STARTED BEFORE WE BONDED FOR SO MUCH MORE BUT IT WOULDN'T SURPRISE ME.

>> Eric: BONDING BILL?

>> YEAH, I MEAN, I THINK THAT THE REPUBLICANS ARE PROBABLY GOING TO WANT SOMETHING.

AS THE SPEAKER SAID.

I THINK THAT THEY'RE INCLINED TO REALLY KIND OF WAIT UNTIL THE END, AS NORMAL.

IF YOU REMEMBER LAST YEAR, WE DID GET A PRETTY BIG BILL, BUT IT WAS HELD OVER FROM THE YEAR BEFORE.

SO, EALLY, THIS IS THE NORMAL CYCLE OF WHAT IT SHOULD BE.

SO, I THINK DEMOCRATS ARE PROBABLY ALREADY WRITTEN THEIR LITERATURE, BUT THERE ARE REALLY KEY AND CRITICAL THINGS THAT NEED TO GET DONE.

>> Cathy: GIVE FOLKS AN IDEA OF WHAT GOES INTO THE NEGOTIATIONS AROUND THE BONDING BILL.

BECAUSE IT IS AN ELECTION YEAR, RIGHT?

SO, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THE MANEUVERING TO GET YOUR PET PROJECT IN THE BONDING BILL?

>> WELL, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE IN THE MINORITY, I MEAN, IF YOU'VE GOT SOME KIND OF PROJECT IN YOUR DISTRICT, YOU'RE GOING TO WANT TO THAT PROJECT IN THERE BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO WANT, WHEN YOU'RE KNOCKING ON DOORS, SAY, HEY, YOU KNOW, THAT NEW BUILDING THAT'S IN UR DISTRICT, CAME FROM MY EFFORTS.

SO, THERE'S A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF THAT INCENTIVE WHEN YOU'RE IN THE MINORITY.

ON THE OTHER HAND, YOU KNOW, IT IS THE ONE THING THAT YOU'VE GOT THAT GIVES YOU SOME LEVERAGE AT THE END, AND YOU MIGHT BE WILLING TO TRADE THAT OFF FOR SOME OTHER THINGS.

A MINORITY MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO THAT.

SO, IF IN THE MINORITY, IT'S USUALLY TO YOUR ADVANTAGE TO WAIT AS LONG AS YOU CAN TO LEVERAGE WHATEVER YOU'RE GOING TO GET OUT OF THE BILL.

>> Eric: I WONDER IF YOU AGREE WITH ME THAT WHAT HAPPENS IN A BONDING CONFERENCE COMMITTEE IS THEY DON'T TRIM THE BILL, THEY COMBINE THE TWO, THE HOUSE AND SENATE AND IT GETS BIGGER.

AND I WONDER IF -- IF AT A POINT IT GETS TOO BIG?

>> YES, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

THE HOUSE AND SENATE COME TOGETHER, DON'T FORGET THE GOVERNOR -- >> Eric: RIGHT, SURE.

>> -- HE'S GOT A PART OF IT AS WELL, BUT I HATE TO THINK ABOUT THE KIND OF TRADING THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, BECAUSE AT LEAST THIS YEAR THE BILL IS REALLY NOT VERY SEXY AT ALL.

I MEAN, WE'RE TALKING CLEAN WATER FOR CITIES, WE'RE TALKING BUILDINGS, AT HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS, IT'S NOT ABOUT HAVING -- I SUPPOSE IT'S A BUILDING IN YOUR PARTICULAR SCHOOL, BUT, STILL, IT SHOULDING SOMETHING -- IT SHOULD BE SOMETHING THAT EVERYBODY COMES OGETHER FOR THE GOOD OF THE STATE.

>> Eric: I WANTED TO ASK YOU TWO FELLAS BECAUSE YOU WERE THERE IN 201, LAST DFL -- 2013, LAST DFL TRIFECTA AND I WONDER IF THE SPEED AND THE INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT WAS CHURNED OUT LAST YEAR WAS IN RESPONSE TO WHAT I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE IN RETROSPECT THOUGHT IT WAS KIND A-TENTATIVE, CAUTIOUS TRIFECTA LAST TIME, IS THAT FAIR?

>> YEAH, AND CERTAINLY UNMET NEEDS AND THINGS THAT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN -- THAT WANTED TO GET DONE.

SO I KNOW THAT THERE WERE SOME THINGS THAT WE WANTED TO GET DONE AND WE SAID, OKAY, WE'LL GET IT NEXT YEAR, AND THEN NEXT YEAR DIDN'T COME FOR SIX MORE YEARS.

KURT ACTUALLY WON SOME ELECTIONS THAT WE WEREN'T PLANNING ON.

SO, YEAH, SO THE NEXT TIME WE CAME AROUND, WE HAD TWO THINGS GOING ON.

ONE, A LOT OF UNMET NEEDS OR THINGS THAT PEOPLE WANTED THE LAST TIME, AND WE HAD A LOT OF NEW PEOPLE THAT REALLY WANTED TO GET THINGS DONE.

AND, SO, NEW AND YOUNGER PEOPLE AND I THINK THE TWO OF THOSE THINGS REALLY GOT A PUSH LAST YEAR'S BILL.

>> I THINK THE CADENCE, TOO, OF THIS PARTICULAR BIENNIUM SEEMS LIKE THE DEMOCRATS WERE PUSHING REALLY HARD THE FIRST YEAR DOING EVERYTHING THAT WAS ON THEIR WISH LIST AND THAT WAS ABOUT A TEN-YEAR BACKLOG AND THEN THIS YEAR THEY'LL PROBABLY REEL IT BACK AND TRY TO LOOK MORE REASONABLE BEING AN ELECTION YEAR.

THAT'S KIND OF MY GUESS.

>> YEAH, I'M THINKING PTICS IS WHAT A LOT OF THIS IS ABOUT.

IT WAS LIKE WATCHING A ROOMFUL OF, YOU KNOW, NERD KIDS WITH - AN ERECTOR SET LAST TIME.

EVERYTHING WAS GOING -- NO ONE KNEW WHAT WAS HAPPENING.

NOW EVERYBODY CAN SIT BACK, BE CALM, WE'RE NOT GOING TO HURT ANYBODY THIS YEAR.

WE'RE FOR YOU.

WE CARE ABOUT YOU.

AND HOPEFULLY PEOPLE WILL FORGET WHAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR.

>> BUT AS THE GOVERNOR AID, IT WAS A WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY.

AND THE TRIFECTA DECIDED THAT THEY WERE GOING TO LEGISLATE FOR THE NEXT GENERATION.

THEY WERE GOING TO USE THAT FOR THAT OPPORTUNITY RATHER THAN JUST THE NEXT ELECTION.

AND THERE MIGHT BE SOME RISK TO THAT BECAUSE SOME OF THOSE ISSUES WON'T COME INTO EFFECT FOR A FEW YEARS.

BUT I THINK AS THE ELECTION APPROACHES, THE MINNESOTA PUBLIC WILL THINK PRETTY HIGHLY OF IT AS COMPARED TO WHAT THEY'RE SEEING FROM THE MOST -- THE LEAST PRODUCTIVE CONGRESS IN HISTORY.

SO I THINK THERE WILL BE SOME GOOD THINGS THAT COME OF THIS.

>> Cathy: SENATOR REICHGOTT JUNGE MENTIONED THE GOVERNOR AND THE STATE OF THE STATE SPEECH.

I'M WONDERING, HE SAID SOMETHING INTERESTING IN THAT SPEECH, DID YOU ALL HEAR THAT, ONE OF THESE DAYS WHEN WE LEAVE THIS PLACE, I MEAN, I WONDER, IS HE GOING TO GO FOR A THIRD TERM?

HE'S GOING TO BE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, RIGHT, COMING UP, XAIPG.

CAMPAIGNING.

WHAT DO YOU THINK HIS FUTURE IS?

MR. SPEAKER?

>> MY GUESS IS, HE'S PROBABLY EYEING A CABINET POSITION IN THE NEXT BIDEN ADMINISTRATION THAT HE'S HOPING FOR AND STUMPING FOR OR POSITIONING HIMSELF WELL FOR SOMETHING ON THE NATIONAL STAGE IN THE FUTURE.

AND HE'S BEEN A REALLY STRONG SURROGATE FOR BIDEN ALL ALONG.

SO THAT'S NO SURPRISE.

I WAS REALLY STRUCK DURING THE SPEECH BY THE NATIONAL OVERTONES, WHICH WE HAVEN'T NORMALLY SEEN.

USUALLY IT'S VERY STATE FOCUSED.

I HAVE BEEN A PERSON WHO'S BEEN SAYING CONSISTENTLY, I THINK HE DOES RUN FOR A THIRD TERM.

I THINK HE LIKES THE JOB.

AND I THINK HE SEES HIMSELF AS GOVERNOR.

AND I THINK HE WILL RUN FOR A THIRD TERM.

>> Cathy: SENATOR?

>> I AGREE.

I THINK HE WANTS TO BE GOVERNOR, BUT I THINK HE'S ALSO MAKING A STATEMENT AROUND THE COUNTRY AS TO W -- AS TO WHAT MINNESOTA ACCOMPLISHED AND WHAT OTHER STATES CAN ACCOMPLISH.

THERE'S A COUPLE REASONS FOR THAT.

ONE IS, IT HELPS US TO KEEP IN TACT WHAT WAS ASSED.

IN OTHER WORDS, THE CONSTITUENCY HERE NOW HEARS THAT AND THEY VALUE IT MORE.

SO THERE'S THAT.

AND I THINK HE REALLY DOES ENJOY HE JOB.

I THINK IF WE HAVE THE CONTINUING LEGISLATURE IN THE DEMOCRATIC CONTROL, HE'LL BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH MORE.

>> Eric: HAS SPEAKER HORTMAN FIGURED OUT THAT GET OUT OF TOWN AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE, YOU GOT ENOUGH TO RUN FOR RE-ELECTION, AND JUST HANGING AROUND LEADS TO MORE POLITICALLY -- POSSIBLE POLITICAL PROBLEMS, SQUEEZING LEGISLATIVE DAYS, PRECONFEREING BILLS?

>> I WOULD NEVER SPEAK FOR THE SPEAKER.

THAT MIGHT BE DANGEROUS FOR A GUY LIKE ME.

BUT WHAT I WILL SAY, A LOT OF THINGS GOT DONE.

THERE'S SOME BIG THINGS HAT THEY STILL WANT TO FIGURE OUT, YET, THE CANNABIS, THE UPDATE TO THE CANNABIS, MAYBE SPORTS GAMBLING, THE BONDING BILL, A FEW THINGS LIKE THAT THAT THEY WANT TO GET DONE.

I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT.

I THINK HE SPEAKER WOULD LOVE TO KIND OF GET THE -- AND THE PLANE SMOOTHLY AND THEN GET OUT AND TELL MINNESOTANS WHAT THEY ACCOMPLISHED.

>> THE SOONER THEY GET OUT, THE HAPPIER THEY SHOULD BE, ESPECIALLY IF THEY CAN KEEP THINGS LOOKING RELATIVELY CALM.

REMEMBER, THE GOVERNOR AGAIN, IT'S WAY TOO EARLY.

IT DIDN'T TAKE VERY LONG FOR PEOPLE TO SOUR, SAY, ON RUDY PERPICH OR STUFF LIKE.

THAT IT TAKES TWO OR THREE YEARS, AND MAYBE AFTER TWO OR THREE YEARS OF THIS, PEOPLE WILL BE READY FOR HIM TO GO.

THE ASPIRATION FOR A GOVERNOR IN MINNESOTA IS TO E THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE.

UNFORTUNATELY, YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO BE PRESIDENT.

YOU KNOW, YOU CAN E VICE PRESIDENT IN RARE CIRCUMSTANCES.

BUT THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO END UP BEING.

>> Eric: I WOULD THINK IF THE PHONE RANG, HE'D PICK IT UP.

>> YES.

>> OH, YEAH, I AGREE.

>> YEAH.

>> Eric: THANKS, PANEL.

>> Cathy: GOOD TO HAVE YOU