Capitol View®

What’s being done to confront the coronavirus and stem the economic fallout from the pandemic are central to this year’s election campaigns. That was clear when the candidates in Minnesota’s 2nd and 6th Congressional Districts met in separate MPR News debates Friday.

Sen. Tina Smith and her Republican challenger Jason Lewis sparred over the coronavirus response, public safety, climate change and immigration Friday during a debate on MPR News. 

On Politics Friday, host Mike Mulcahy speaks with the legislative leaders of both parties about the major issues in the State Senate and House of Representatives races.

Six months after Gov. Tim Walz first declared the peacetime emergency, where is Minnesota in the response to the pandemic and what will the next few months bring? On this week’s Politics Friday, MPR News host Mike Mulcahy talked with Walz, discussing some of the pressing issues in Minnesota and taking listener questions from around the state. 

MPR News political editor Mike Mulcahy looks ahead to Tuesday’s primary election in Minnesota. He’ll discuss the races to watch and how politics and voting has changed during the pandemic.

Minneapolis city council members want to defund the police department; new agenda items for special legislative session

Results from the latest Minnesota Poll

Walz takes heat from those saying he’s moving too slowly on reopening businesses and churches

Nurses say they need more protective equipment; Asian owned businesses have been especially hard hit

What the Legislature wants to do when it returns; more businesses cautiously reopen