Politics Friday: A pair of first-term senators reflect on their first session, and the debate over legal marijuana

Minnesota voters made history in Nov. 2022 when they elected three Black woman to the state senate — a first in the 165 years of Minnesota statehood.  

MPR News host Mike Mulcahy talks with Sen. Zaynab Mohamed, DFL-Minneapolis, and Sen. Clare Oumou Verbeten, DFL-St. Paul, about their first legislative session and the perspective they brought to the chamber.

Later in the hour, two Republicans from the cannabis conference committee explain their approach to a final version of the bill to legalize marijuana. And MPR News political reporters explain what you can expect from the Minnesota Legislature as the session nears adjournment.

Guests:  

• Sen. Zaynab Mohamed, DFL-Minneapolis  

• Sen. Clare Oumou Verbeten, DFL-St. Paul 

• Rep. Nolan West, R-Blaine  

• Sen. Jordan Rasmusson, R-Fergus Falls 

• Dana Ferguson is a politics reporter for MPR News.  

• Brian Bakst is a politics reporter for MPR News. 

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Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.