Politics Friday

Minnesota Republicans feel good about their chances in 2026. They’ve got lots of opportunities to break through on the statewide map — with several key offices on the line. None is more tantalizing than the governor’s office. DFL Gov. Tim Walz is after a third term, and Republicans are out to convince voters he’s worn out his welcome.  One of the candidates working to make that case is GOP state R...

Gov. Tim Walz has divided attention these days as his political past, present and future all collide. A new book offers details of the vice presidential run that turned him into a national figure. Ongoing issues with fraud in government programs and efforts to combat gun violence have him at loggerheads with legislative Republicans. And he’s in the early days of a run for an unprecedented third, f...

As the midterm campaign approaches, the political winds are starting to kick up around Minnesota. Places that used to send Democrats to St. Paul or Washington no longer do — or at least not as much. Meanwhile, Republicans are working to head off the historical trend of the president’s party losing ground. On this special broadcast of Politics Friday, MPR News politics editor Brian Bakst heads to M...

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...

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. Senat...