The Break Down with Brodkorb and Becky

Becky Scherr and Michael Brodkorb record their final episode and livestream after nearly four years and more than 200 episodes, with Scherr stepping away to reallocate the weekly prep and recording time to be more present with her young family while staying engaged in politics. They thank their families and listeners, discuss how the show evolved into an equal partnership, and highlight favorite g...

Becky Scherr and Michael Brodkorb livestream Minnesota primary election night coverage as polls close, tracking early turnout and results from the Secretary of State website and discussing what the numbers may signal for November. Joined by guests Billy Grant , Will Davis , David FitzSimmons , Julius Hernandez , and state auditor candidate Jay Reeves , they analyze key races as they develop: Miche...

Becky Scherr and Michael Brodkorb preview Minnesota’s Primary Election next Tuesday, stressing uncertainty, turnout, and unreliable polling while running through statewide races, money, and late-breaking controversies. They debate the DFL U.S. Senate primary between Congresswoman Angie Craig and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, citing heavy outside spending, a new KSTP/SurveyUSA poll showing Craig narrowl...

Becky Scherr and Michael Brodkorb preview Minnesota’s 2026 primary with a deep dive into fundraising reports covering January 1 through July 20. They note Sen. Amy Klobuchar’s massive advantage in the governor’s race, with $9.3 million raised and approximately $4.4 million cash on hand, compared with Republican candidates. They discuss questions around Mike Lindell’s reporting and unlisted recent...

Becky Scherr and Michael Brodkorb return and highlight Michael’s interview with Jay Reeves, the Forward Independence Party candidate for Minnesota state auditor . Reeves shares his background, military service, and cancer diagnosis, and how he secured ballot access by collecting 2,000-plus signatures. He outlines a data-driven, near real-time approach to detecting waste, fraud, and abuse, and argu...

Michael Brodkorb hosts this week’s episode, with Becky Scherr off, to discuss President Donald Trump’s endorsement of Mike Lindell for Minnesota governor and how it upends the Republican primary. Guests Will Davis, a Democratic strategist , and  Billy Grant, a MAGA-aligned Republican strategist , explain why they weren’t surprised, arguing that Trump prioritizes loyalty and that Lindell had the st...

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...