The Break Down with Brodkorb and Becky

Becky Scherr and Michael Brodkorb return after a week off to discuss Independence Day traditions and 250th-anniversary fun facts, then break down the controversy over competing Washington, D.C. events branded “America 250” and the Trump White House “Freedom 250,” including artist withdrawals and dueling fireworks and concerts. They review a series of end-of-term Supreme Court decisions: striking d...

Becky Scherr and Michael Brodkorb  return after a week off and reflect on the June 14th anniversary of the assassination of Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband, discussing tributes, the removal of public officials’ home addresses from campaign finance records, new safety-related rule accommodations, and the balance with residency verification. They preview early voting ahead of the Aug...

Becky Scherr and Michael Brodkorb open with an update ahead of the first anniversary of Speaker Melissa Hortman’s assassination, noting Vance Bolter’s guilty plea and a reported deal to avoid the death penalty in exchange for two consecutive life sentences plus 40 years in federal prison. They are then joined by former Minnesota Rep. Pat Garofalo, now a Star Tribune contributing columnist, to disc...

Becky Scherr and Michael Brodkorb are joined by GOP strategist Preya Samsundar to break down the MN DFL and GOP state conventions. They recap Senator Amy Klobuchar’s first-ballot DFL Senate endorsement and discuss the DFL’s comparatively quiet governor and U.S. Senate activity, including Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan’s endorsement push. The focus shifts to the chaotic MN GOP convention: Adam Schwarze wi...

Becky Scherr and Michael Brodkorb are joined by DFL strategist Will Davis to preview Minnesota’s GOP convention in Duluth and the DFL convention in Rochester, offering predictions on endorsements, ballot counts, and potential fireworks. They discuss the MN GOP governor’s race, including the field of Lisa Demuth, Kendall Qualls, Mike Lindell, and Patrick Knight; Lindell's residency questions; possi...

Becky Scherr and Michael Brodkorb recap Minnesota’s just-ended 2026 legislative session, which concluded on time with a relatively quiet compromise, including an HCMC bailout with broader hospital funding, car tab and property tax relief, anti-fraud measures highlighted by a new Office of Inspector General, and a $1.2 billion bonding bill. They also note what failed to pass, including sports betti...

Becky Scherr and Michael Brodkorb return after Michael’s week off due to health issues before breaking down Sen. Amy Klobuchar’s first major gubernatorial campaign rollout: a Sunday St. Paul press conference and “Get Results and Make Government Accountable” anti-fraud agenda, framed as a break from the status quo and a prosecutor-led push for oversight and jail time in major cases. They compare Kl...

Becky Scherr and Michael Brodkorb sit down with former Minnesota Rep. Dennis Smith , now chair of the Republican Party of Minnesota’s Elephant Club . Smith reflects on his legislative record working across the aisle, a brief run for attorney general, and what it takes to build a Republican Party capable of winning statewide again. Smith breaks down the Elephant Club’s donor events, what he’s heari...

Becky Scherr and Michael Brodkorb sit down with Lars Leafblad of Ballinger Leafblad , one of Minnesota’s top executive search leaders, to talk about a leadership crisis hiding in plain sight. Leafblad estimates roughly 60% turnover since 2020 across elected officials, nonprofit CEOs, and major employers , driven by a perfect storm of the pandemic, George Floyd’s murder, political violence, and a w...

In their 150th episode of The Break Down with Brodkorb and Becky , hosts Becky Scherr and Michael Brodkorb celebrate the podcast’s growth, highlight past guests and panels, and thank their families. Next, they interview Minnesota native and independent journalist Aaron Rupar . Rupar recounts his path from local media to ThinkProgress and Vox , and to his Substack Public Notice , explaining how he...

On this episode of The Break Down with Brodkorb and Becky , hosts Becky Scherr and Michael Brodkorb welcome back Erich Mische, the CEO of SAVE — Suicide Awareness Voices of Education — a Minnesota-based national suicide prevention nonprofit, to discuss his Star Tribune op-ed arguing for “Big Tobacco”-style accountability for Big Tech . Erich also discusses how his organization is navigating social...

Welcome to another episode of The Break Down with Brodkorb and Becky ! This week, hosts Becky Scherr and Michael Brodkorb interview first-time guest Chris Madel , a Minneapolis trial attorney and former Republican candidate for Minnesota governor. In December 2025, Madel entered the GOP gubernatorial primary, campaigning on fighting government fraud, supporting law enforcement, and cutting state g...

Welcome to another episode of The Break Down with Brodkorb and Becky ! This week, hosts Becky Scherr and Michael Brodkorb discuss the escalating conflict with Iran and Operation Epic Fury. Becky and Michael debate whether to call it a war, criticize inconsistent administration messaging, and discuss rationales cited for the strikes, regime-change rhetoric, and concerns about casualties, including...

Welcome to another episode of The Break Down with Brodkorb and Becky ! Becky Scherr and Michael Brodkorb return after a week off for a packed episode covering President Trump’s State of the Union, including viewership trends, Democratic absences, key policy themes like immigration and affordability, and the Democratic responses. Becky and Michael discuss the U.S. House Oversight Committee hearing...

Welcome to another episode of The Break Down with Brodkorb and Becky ! In this episode, hosts Becky Scherr and Michael Brodkorb interview Minnesota State Senator Matt Klein , a physician and chair of the Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee, who is also running for Congress in Minnesota’s 2nd Congressional District . Klein describes the opening days of the 2026 legislative session as emotion...

Welcome to another episode of The Break Down with Brodkorb and Becky ! This week, hosts Becky Scherr and Michael Brodkorb dive into the highlights of Super Bowl weekend, including their take on the halftime show controversy, commercials, and snacks. They welcome their first candidate interview of 2026, Dr. Scott Jensen , who discusses his campaign shift from a gubernatorial run to a run for state...

Welcome to another episode of The Break Down with Brodkorb and Becky ! This week, hosts Becky Scherr and Michael Brodkorb discuss the recent update on Operation Metro Surge, noting a partial drawdown of 700 officers statewide and the introduction of body-worn cameras for ICE agents in Minneapolis. Switching gears, they break down the 2026 precinct caucuses for both parties and analyze the gubernat...

In this emotionally charged episode of The Break Down with Brodkorb and Becky , hosts Becky Scherr and Michael Brodkorb tackle recent tragic events involving ICE in Minnesota. They focus on the tragic shooting death of Alex Pretti by a border control agent, with layered discussions on the subsequent political, public, and administrative reactions. The episode delves into the impacts on local and n...

Welcome to another episode of The Break Down with Brodkorb and Becky ! Hosts Becky Scherr and Michael Brodkorb provide updates on topics from previous episodes , exploring incidents like the flashbang injury involving children in North Minneapolis and the inconsistencies in the parents’ statements. Becky and Michael also cover legal updates, including the DOJ’s subpoenas to multiple Democratic lea...

Welcome to another episode of ‘ The Break Down with Brodkorb and Becky !’ Join hosts Becky Scherr and Michael Brodkorb for an intense episode, where they delve into the tragic death of Renee Goode and the intricate dynamics of ICE operations in Minnesota . Michael and Becky provide updates on the incident, ongoing civil litigation, and the subsequent fallout. The episode includes a critical analys...

Welcome to another episode of The Break Down with Brodkorb and Becky ! In this emotionally charged and insightful discussion, hosts Becky Scherr and Michael Brodkorb tackle a whirlwind of current events, including the tragic shooting involving an ICE agent in Minnesota and the subsequent fallout. Guests Julius Hernandez and John Rouleau join the podcast to provide opposing viewpoints on the incide...

Welcome to a special bonus episode of ‘ The Break Down with Brodkorb and Becky !’ In this episode, Becky Scherr and Michael Brodkorb dive deep into the breaking news that Governor Tim Walz announced he will not seek a third term in 2026 . They discuss the implications of Walz’s decision on his political legacy, potential Democratic candidates likely to enter the race, and what this means for the 2...

In this episode of The Break Down with Brodkorb and Becky , hosts Becky Scherr and Michael Brodkorb kick off 2026 by diving into the viral video by YouTuber Nick Shirley that exposes alleged daycare fraud in Minnesota. Michael and Becky discuss the widespread reactions from both political parties, including responses from Governor Tim Walz, Attorney General Keith Ellison, and various Republican le...

Welcome to the spiciest and longest episode (to date) of The Break Down with Brodkorb and Becky ! Join Michael Brodkorb and Becky Scherr as they speak with guests  Julius Hernandez  and  Preya Samsundar , who offer their perspectives on Governor Tim Walz’s handling of fraud, ICE raids in Minnesota, and the upcoming gubernatorial and Senate races. Highlights include a debate on President Trump’s co...

Welcome to another episode of ‘ The Break Down with Brodkorb and Becky! ’ Michael Brodkorb and Becky Scherr return to discuss the recent harassment that led to an unscheduled pause in recording podcast episodes . Michael and Becky then shift to the important topic of fraud in Minnesota and its implications for the 2026 election. They examine the claims of whistleblowers within Gov. Tim Walz’s admi...