Minnesota Politics 101 with Pat Kessler Podcast

Following the midterm elections, Melissa Hortman will become the Minnesota House Speaker, the second most powerful elected offial in the state behind the Governor. Pat Kessler talks with her in this week's edition of Minnesota Politics 101.

We've discussed a number of the ways Minnesota has turned into a purple state as of late, but in this week's midterm elections, it was almost as blue as they come. Pat Kessler looks at what happened in 2018.

It's the culmination of an ugly year in politics, and Pat Kessler covers that as we round the clubhouse turn toward the midterms. But he also goes in deeper on one of the most important stories of the week: the musical redemption for the session players who contributed to one of Bob Dylan's most esteemed LPs.

We're less than two weeks away from the midterm elections, and things are really slowing down. No wait, what's the exact opposite? They're ramping up incredibly! This week, explosives were delivered to a number of people who all are all perceived to be critics of President Trump. Is this the new normal?

Today, Pat Kessler looks at a dying breed in Minnesota, an exotic species in this state: Moderatus Repbiclicanus. Also, a senate candidate faces questions about an old Facebook post comparing former first lady Michelle Obama to a chimp.

Pat Kessler digs deep into the social media aspects of the 2018 political race.

Pat Kessler deconstructs President Donald Trump’s Rochester rally and goes inside the room to see some all-in Trump supporters.

The entire world of politics is galvanized by Thursday's hearings surrounding Trump's SCOTUS pick Brett Kavanaugh, accused of a decades-ago sexual assault by Dr. Christine Blasey Ford. Meanwhile, Pat Kessler talks about how he's been used in a recent Erik Paulsen ad, and recaps an hour-plus President Trump news conference.

Did you ever wonder just how much those targeting potential voters actually know about their targets? The answer, according to Pat Kessler, would shock you. Also, a bold new ad from the Dean Phillips campaign has the famous sasquatch Bigfoot asking rhetorically how anyone knows for sure that Rep. Erik Paulsen is actually real.

The gloves are coming off in a battleground state, and Pat Kessler takes a deeper look into some of the latest ads. Also, do you know how many newly-registered Minnesota voters there are who also happen to be centenarians?

This week, the famed ruby slippers from "The Wizard of Oz" were found more than a decade after they were stolen. We're not in Kansas anymore, as Pat Kessler describes a wild week in politics. Included: A chat with Richard Painter about the bombshell NYT op-ed "I Am Part of the Resistance."

As Rogers & Hammerstein penned for their immortal musical, "Our state fair is a great state fair." Except, as Pat Kessler argues in this week's episode of Minnesota Politics 101, Minnesota's is actually the BEST State Fair!

For many politicians, the Minnesota State Fair serves as their best opportunity to get good face time with voters before the election. Pat Kessler presents this week from the Great Minnesota Get-Together.

The 2018 Minnesota primary elections are over and came with more than their share of shockers, and left a lot of questions for the election season still to come.

This week, WCCO's political reporter Pat Kessler examines the rifts in the political parties, chats with Richard Painter (who wants President Trump impeached), explores Tim Pawlenty and Jeff Johnson's differences over Trump, and Democrat ads attacking Democrats.

Donald Trump didn't win the state of Minnesota in 2016 (though it was close). Nevertheless, Trump is a factor in nearly every midterm race in this state in 2018. WCCO-TV's Pat Kessler shows how some candidates are distancing themselves from the president, and others siding up to him.

"All hell broke loose." Pat Kessler talks about the rush to beat the filind day deadline that saw an astonishing number of chess pieces being moved around in quick succession.