>> CATHY: WE'VE GATHERED A COUCH FULL OF FOLKS TO CONTINUE THE POLITICAL CONVERSATION.

REPUBLICANS FIRST THIS WEEK.

AMY KOCH WAS THE FIRST FEMALE SENATE MAJORITY LEADER, NOW A LOBBYIST.

LOBBYIST IS A TITLE YOU CAN ATTACH TO BRIAN MCDANIEL, WHO IS ALSO A STAND-UP COMEDIAN AND FORMER LEGISLATIVE STAFFER.

DFLERS WITH US TONIGHT: FORMER STATE SENATE MINORITY LEADER SUSAN KENT AND FORMER LEGISLATIVE STAFFER, NOW ATTORNEY, ABOU AMARA.

SENATOR KOCH, THAT WAS A D.F.L.

VICTIMRY LAP VICTORY LAP ON THE STEPS OF THE STATE CAPITOL EARLIER THIS WEEK AND MINNESOTA'S A PROGRESSIVE REFUGE.

AS A REPUBLICAN, WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THAT?

>> IT'S INTERESTING COMING FROM A GOVERNOR WHO REALLY, WHEN HE WAS IN THE FIRST DISTRICT CONGRESSMAN, RAN SORT OF A DIFFERENT -- HAD A DIFFERENT SORT OF VOTING RECORD AND A DIFFERENT SORT OF RHETORIC.

BUT HE'S REPRESENTING THE ENTIRE STATE NOW AND CERTAINLY THIS WAS A PROGRESSIVE SESSION.

THERE'S JUST NO WAY AROUND IT THAT THESE WERE MASSIVE PROGRESSIVE VICTORIES IN THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION ON A SCALE THAT I DON'T THINK WE'VE EVER SEEN BEFORE.

AND SO NO DOUBT BOUT IT.

THIS LEGISLATURE, YOU KNOW, MOVED US DECIDELY LEFT.

>> Cathy: WHAT DO YOU THINK?

>> OH, SORRY.

OH, NO, I THINK THAT THE PROGRESSIVE WING OF THE D.F.L.

PARTY, THEY, YOU KNOW, REMEMBER 2013 AND 2014.

WHEN THEY HAD A FRY FECT TRIFECTA AND THEY GOT A LOT OF STUFF DONE, AND THEY DIDN'T GET EVERYTHING.

AND THEY WERE TOLD JUST GET US THROUGH THIS NEXT ELECTION.

I THINK THEY LEARNED, YOU CAN'T WAIT FOR TOMORROW.

AND, YOU KNOW, AS MUCH AS, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE NOT THE PRIORITIES THAT AMY AND I LIKE AND THESE ARE NOT WHAT WE WOULD HOPE THAT VOTERS WOULD HOLD THE DEMOCRATS ACCOUNTABLE FOUR ALL THESE THINGS BUT WHAT THEY DID THEY SAID WE'RE GOING FOR IT ALL AND THEY GOT ALMOST ALL OF IT.

>> Eric: ABOU, I'M TEMPTED TO SAY THIS IS THE MARIJUANA SESSION.

>> IT'S DEEPER DEEPER THAT THAN.

AND TEN YEARS AGO, WHERE WAS A LOT ISSUES.

BUT THERE WERE THINGS THAT WERE LEFT UNDONE.

IT WASN'T JUST A EFT SESSION.

I DON'T THINK T WAS THAT AT ALL.

IT WAS A POPULAR SESSION.

POLL THE ISSUES THAT ACTUALLY WERE PASSED.

DO YOU THINK THAT WE SHOULD EXPAND CHILD CARE TAX CREDITS?

OVERWHELMINGLY MAJORITY OF MINNESOTANS.

DO YOU THINK THAT WE SHOULD MAKE SURE THAT EVERY MINNESOTAN CAN VOTE AND IS A PART OF THE DEMOCRACY?

SO WHEN YOU LOOK ISSUE BY ISSUE, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS AN OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF THE MINNESOTANS.

>> Eric: HOW DOES IT PLAY AMONG THE SUBURBS?

>> REALLY WELL.

AND I WAS THERE, MY VERY FIRST SESSION WAS IN 2013 DURING THAT TRIFECTA, AND I WAS THE VICE CHAIR OF THE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE IN THE SENATE WHEN WE PASSED A COMPREHENSIVE TRANSPORTATION PACKAGE THAT DIDN'T GO ANY FURTHER.

AND WE'VE WAITED TEN YEARS AND THE NEEDS HAVE GOTTEN WORSE.

SO INVESTING IN INFRASTRUCTURE, INVESTING IN OUR SCHOOLS, INVESTING IN HEALTHCARE AND HOUSING AND CHILD CARE, AND PAID LEAVE, WHICH POLLS REALLY WELL, I BELIEVE ABOUT 64% ACCORDING TO A RECENT POLL, IS INCREDIBLY POPULAR WITH THE SUBURBS.

>> Eric: REPUBLICAN STRATEGY FOR MESSAGING AND THE COUNTER-ARGUMENT GOING INTO THE '24 CYCLE?

>> WELL, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE GOING TO HIT ON THAT YOU HAD $18 BILLION IN SURPLUS AND YOU RAISED OUR TAXES ANYWAY.

THAT'S GOING TO BE A THING.

I THINK THAT THE REPUBLICANS SHOULD HAVE DONE A STRONGER MESSAGE, A MORE GLOBAL MESSAGE.

THEIR MESSAGE THIS SESSION WAS LARGELY SOCIAL SECURITY TAXES AND NURSING HOMES.

AND THEY GOT WINS IN OTH OF THOSE.

BUT I THINK THEY NEED A BROADER APPEAL.

I THINK THEY SHOULD HAVE -- BECAUSE WHAT IS THERE N THAT VICTORY FOR YOUNG FAMILIES?

WHAT IS THERE FOR STUDENTS?

WHAT IS THERE?

AND SO I THINK THAT REPUBLICANS WILL NEED, GOING INTO 2024, I THINK THAT THERE IS A LOOK HOW MUCH MONEY THEY SPENT.

AND I THINK THE ECONOMY'S GOING TO MATTER AND WHAT HAPPENS WITH ALL THESE TAXES AND MANDATES ON BUSINESS.

SO WE'LL SEE, BUT THERE MAY BE MORE FOR THEM TO LEAN ON.

BUT I THINK -- I WOULD HOPE THAT THEY WOULD GO BROADER AND ON THE FISCAL MESSAGE AND IN OTHER AREAS THAN THIS NARROW MESSAGE.

>> I ALSO THINK THAT ONE OF THE REASONS THAT, YOU KNOW, SPEAKER HORTMAN AND CHAIR DZIEDZIC WERE WILLING TO GO SO BOLD WITH NARROW MAJORITIES, BUT ONE OF THE REASONS THEY WERE WILLING TO BE SO BOLD IS BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT AFRAID OF THE ELECTATE HOLDING THEM ACCOUNTABLE IN THE NEXT ELECTION BECAUSE THEY'RE KIND OF LOOKING AT, WELL, OKAY, IF TRUMP IS ON THE BALANCE, THAT'S ALL ANYONE'S GOING TO TALK ABOUT SO THEY'RE NOT GOING TO REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED WITH OUR TAXES, WHAT HAPPENED WITH PRO-LIFE ISSUES, WHAT HAPPENED WITH PULL TABS, WHAT HAPPENS WITH WHATEVER.

IT'S ALL GOING TO BE A REFERENDUM ON TRUMP WHICH MEANS REPUBLICANS REALLY NEED TO LOOK AT THAT, SAY, HEY, WE HAVE OTHER CHOICES, CHOICES THAT AREN'T GOING TO SANCTION US THE WAY HE WOULD.

AND THEN HOPEFULLY PICK THOSE CHOICES.

>> Eric: IS THERE GOING TO BE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THE BILLION DOLLARS GOING TO LOCAL NON-PROFITS?

I MEAN, WE'VE HAD SOME EXPERIENCE THAT SOME OF THAT MONEY HAS BEEN MIS?IEWDZ >> I THINK PARTICULARLY THIS ADMINISTRATION HAS LEARNED I MEAN WITH THE "FEEDING OUR FUTURE" SCANDAL, THE DEPARTMENT OF JUGS, STATE PROSECUTORS, THERE'S NO QUESTION I THINK WE HAVE GOTTEN BETTER IN TERMS OF HOLDING INSTITUTIONS ACCOUNTABLE FROM A LEGAL STANDPOINT.

I SUSPECT THAT WILL CARRY ITSELF INTO THIS TYPE OF WORK AS WELL.

>> Eric: DID THE GOVERNOR WANT THE UBER BILL BROUGHT TO HIS DESK?

HE MUST HAVE TOLD SOMEBODY.

SENATOR FATEH, MAYBE SAVE THAT FOR ANOTHER DAY.

>> I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED.

I DO KNOW I WAS SPEAKING WITH A LAWYER WHO KNOWS LEGISLATION, AND IS A FRIEND OF WORKERS, AND HE SAID HE HAD REAL CONCERNS JUST THE FRAMEWORK WITH THE BILL.

AND GOVERNOR WALZ MESSAGE THAT WE WANT TO SUPPORT WORKERS, E WANT TO UPPORT THESE DRIVERS, BUT THIS BILL NEEDS WORK, IT SEEMS CONSISTENT TO ME.

>> HERE'S THE ISSUE.

IF THIS WAS A TRADITIONAL LABOR MANAGEMENT SSUE YOU WOULD HAVE COLLECTIVE BARGAIN, BARGAINING, BUT BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE THAT, NOW IT'S BEING BROUGHT INTO THE POLITICAL SPACE AND THAT'S NOT EXACTLY THE BEST TIME WITH A TWO-MONTH SESSION, AND SO THAT'S WHY I THINK IT WAS SMART FOR THE GOVERNOR TO SAY LET'S WORK THROUGH SOME OF THOSE DETAILS.

>> WHAT I THINK IS SURPRISING IS THAT THE ONE TIME IS GOVERNOR THE CHOOSING TO FLEX HIS MUSCLES, IT WAS TO THE DETRIMENT OF THE NURSES NURSES UNION AND UBER DRIVERS, WHO ARE FROM A DEMOGRAPHIC THAT SUPPORT THEM.

YOU COULD HAVE GONE IN ALL THESE DIFFERENT AREAS AREAS AND SAID NO, NO, YES, YES, AND YOU DIDN'T DO THAT.

BUT IN THE LAST HOURS, YOU SAY, NURSES AND UBER DRIVERS, NOTHING FOR YOU, THAT JUST SEEMS VERY STRANGE TO ME?

>> Eric: WHAT HAPPENED TO THE .R.A.?

>> THAT'S ANOTHER ONE THAT I WAS SO GLAD THAT I HAPPENED TO BE THERE AT THE SENATE WHEN THAT PASSED, BUT IN THE HOUSE THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT WANTING TO WORK ON IT SOME MORE.

>> IT HAS TO DO AROUND CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS, RIGHT?

SO THEY'RE NERVOUS PUTTING A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT ON THE BALLOT WITH THE HOUSE, IT'S NOTABLY THE HOUSE, WHO'S UP FOR ELECTION NEXT TIME.

BECAUSE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS ON THE BALLOT AN WORK FOR YOU AND THEY CAN WORK AGAINST YOU.

>> Cathy: WHAT DO YOU ALL THINK -- WE KIND OF TALKED ABOUT THIS EARLY ON.

ALMOST THE FIRST DAY OF SESSION.

DID IT MAKE A DIFFERENCE THAT THERE WERE SO MANY WOMEN LEADERS -- >> COMPLETELY.

>> Cathy: TO GET TO WHERE WE ARE.

A LOT WAS DONE WITH VERY LITTLE SNIPING?

>> YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THAT HAS SOMETHING TO IT, RIGHT?

FOR OF THE FIRST TIME, THREE OUT OF THE FOUR, FOR THE FIRST TIME, EVER IN MINNESOTA HISTORY, WERE FEMALE LEADERS.

AND I JUST THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU GO IN AND GET YOUR WORK DONE.

IT DOES -- I JUST THINK THAT'S BEEN WHAT WE'VE SEEN.

>> YOU HAVE TO DO YOUR HOMEWORK BEFORE YOU CAN GO PLAY OUTSIDE AND KNOWING SPEAKER HORTMAN AND KNOWING MAJORITY LEADER DZIEDZIC, THESE ARE SMART, FOCUSES DEDICATED LEADERS WHO ARE JUST REALLY COMMITTED.

>> ND THEY HELD THEIR CAUCUSES TOGETHER.

>> YES, THEY DID.

EXPWHRSES THAT WAS A SURPRISE TO YOU YOU AT ALL?

>> IN MANY WAYS WAYS NO.

I'VE HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS, PARTICULARLY ABOUT THE SENATE DFL CAULK CAUCUS AND CHANGES OVER THE YEARS.

PEOPLE ARE REALLY LISTENING TO EACH OTHER AND SPEAKING OPENLY AND HAVING GOOD CONVERSATIONS.

THAT'S WHERE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND, WE ALL REPRESENT DIFFERENT DISTRICTS AND WE HAVE TO RESPECT THAT.

>> Eric: FORS THAT THAT ARE CONCERNED ABOUT BIG GOVERNMENT, WHAT WOULD IT MEAN SENATOR THE SENATE DEMOCRATS AND THE HOUSE DEMOCRATS IF THEY SAID, WE'RE GOING TO SPEND A WEEK IN SESSION IN 2024?

AND GO HOME.

COULD THEY ACCOMPLISH SO MUCH -- BECAUSE THEY ACCOMPLISHED SO MUCH IN '23, WOULDN'T THEY LOOK LIKE HEROES?

>> I DON'T THINK POLITICIANS WIN BY SAYING I'M NOT GOING TO SHOW UP TO WORK.

SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO SAY, WE'LL DONE A LOT OF THIS SESSION, BUT IT WAS A BUDGET SESSION.

THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF THAT CAN HAPPEN NEXT YEAR.

>> Eric: WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE '24 AGENDA?

>> FOR EXAMPLE, JUST BECAUSE BONDING BILL PASSED THIS YEERG, DOES NOT MEAN THERE CAN'T BE ADDITIONAL PROJECTS.

WE KNOW MINNESOTA HAS ADDITIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE THAT CONTINUED TO INVESTMENT.

A LOT OF THE MONEY IN THE SURPLUS WAS ONE-TIME FEDERAL FUNDS.

THERE'S STILL MONEY THERE TO SPEND.

ON THOSE PROJECTS.

>> MOST OF IT WAS LEFT OVERDOLLARS, STATE MONEY.

THERE'S NOT AARP MONEY IN THAT -- [Overlapping conversations] >> Cathy: ALWAYS, ALWAYS, UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES TO LEGISLATION.

YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING?

SO I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, OF ALL THE STUFF THAT PASSED, WHERE DO YOU THINK THE LAWMAKERS MIGHT HAVE TO COME BACK AND TWEAK?

>> WELL, I THINK CANNABIS FOR SURE.

I MEAN, AND I THINK THAT EVERYONE WHO'S A SUPPORTER OR A DETRACTOR OF IT KNOWS THAT WE'RE OT GOING TO GET IT RIGHT ON THE FIRST TRY.

AND SO I THINK THAT SOME OF THIS IS GOING TO BE TRIAL AND ERROR.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SEE WHAT WORKS, WHAT DOESN'T WORK, AND GO BACK.

AND I THINK THERE IS AN INTEREST N GETTING IT RIGHT.

THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS IT WENT THROUGH 123 COMMITTEES AND WE CAN CRY PROCESS ON A LOT OF THINGS.

I DON'T KNOW THAT ON CANNABIS WE CAN NECESSARILY CRY PROCESS.

I ALSO SAY ON THE PAID FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE AND ON THE EARNED SICK ND SAFE TIME, WHAT EFFECTS THIS HAS ON SMALL EMPLOYERS MAY MAKE THEM HAVE TO COME BACK AND TWEAK IT.

SO IT MIGHT NOT BE QUITE AS ONEROUS.

>> Eric: WALZ IS SAYING MINNESOTA IS NOW A DESTINATION STATE.

AND I WONDER IF THE REPUBLICAN MESSAGE IS, THIS STATE IS TERRIBLE, LEAVE.

AND THAT'S A LOT OF REPUBLICAN SENIOR CITIZENS.

>> I THINK HIS COULD BE SOME OF THE UNINTENDED WEBSES.

ANECDOTALLY, YOU HEAR FOLKS LEAVING, BUSINESSES GOING.

IT REMAINS YET TO BE SEEN.

AND MINNESOTA HAS TYPICALLY BEEN A HIGHER TAX STATE THAT MANAGES TO, BECAUSE OF A SOLID WORKFORCE, MANAGES TO FORGE ON.

BUT I THINK THAT IS ONE THING THAT WILL REMAIN TO BE SEEN IN THE NEXT COUPLE YEARS AND WHERE DOES THIS ECONOMY GO, BASED ON THIS.

I MEAN, THIS WAS A MASSIVE JUMP WHERE WE HAD A $54 BILLION TO A NEARLY $70 BILLION BUDGET IN ONE CYCLE?

THAT'S A MASSIVE JUMP.

WE TALK ABOUT BIG GOVERNMENT.

THAT IS A MASSIVE JUMP IN GOVERNMENT SPENDING.

>> THAT WAS -- [Overlapping conversations] >> MOST MINNESOTANS DON'T ASK THEMSELVES, AT THE KITCHEN TABLE HOW BIG IS THE STATE BUDGET.

TESTER ASKING HOW MUCH CAN I AFFORD FOR MY FAMILIES?

AND THIS BUDGET INVESTS IN OUTCOMES FOR THEM THAT WILL LOWER COSTS AND MAKE THINGS MORE AFFORDABLE FOR THEM.

>> ANYBODY FOUND A AMY KLOBUCHAR OPPONENT ON THE REPUBLICAN SIDE?

CAN YOU LEAK US A NAME?

>> TIM WALZ.

[ Laughter ] NO.

T.B.D.

>> Eric: THANKS THANKS PANEL.

WE LEARN A LOT.

EXCEPT WHO THE KLOBUCHAR OPPONENT MIGHT BE.

>>