>> ERIC: HAVE WE MENTIONED TUESDAY NIGHT'S BIG PRIMARY YET TONIGHT?

IF YOU'VE BEEN PAYING ATTENTION AT ALL, YOU KNOW THAT WE HAD RECORD VOTER TURNOUT, SEVERAL HIGH-PROFILE RACES, AND FOR THE FIRST TIME, MINNESOTA WILL HAVE A FEMALE GOVERNOR.

HERE TO BREAK IT ALL DOWN FOR US, THIS WEEK'S VERSION OF THE POLITICAL PANEL.

REPUBLICANS UP FIRST TONIGHT.

BRIAN MCCLUNG, FORMER GOVERNOR PAWLENTY STAFFER AND LONGTIME CAPITOL OBSERVER, NOW A PUBLIC RELATIONS PROFESSIONAL.

PREYA SAMSUNDAR IS A GOP STRATEGIST AND A FORMER COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR FOR THE RNC AND THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN.

DEMOCRATS ON THE COUCH TONIGHT, ALYSEN NESSE IS A PARTY LOYALIST AND A LOBBYIST UP AT THE CAPITOL.

AND JAVIER MORILLO IS A LONGTIME UNION AND PARTY ACTIVIST AND A FORMER NATIONAL COMMITTEEMAN FOR THE DNC.

HOW DID PEGGY FLANAGAN BEAT ANGIE CRAIG BY 0 PERCENTAGE POINTS, WHEN THE LAST POLL HAD IT 40%-40%, SHE WAS OUTSPENT, KIND OF WELLSTONEESQUE, I GUESS YOU MIGHT SAY.

>> IT WAS REALLY HARD WORK.

SHE DID 300 EVENTS ACROSS THE STATE.

AND THAT'S NOT 300 EVENTS THAT THE CAMPAIGN DID, THAT'S LIKE 300 THAT PEGGY HERSELF WAS AT.

SHE JUST -- IT WAS JUST OLD-FASHIONED SHOE LEATHER, LIKE GRASSROOTS POLITICS.

I TOLD YOU, LIKE LAST FALL, THAT THIS WAS GOING TO BE -- THIS WAS NOT GOING TO BE CLOSE BECAUSE I KNEW THAT PEGGY IS MORE IN TUNE WITH WHERE THE DEMOCRATIC ELECTORATE IS RIGHT NOW.

AND THE MONEY THAT WAS SPENT AGAINST HER, AND SHE WAS OUTSPENT 6 TO 1, ACTUALLY ENDED UP MAKING THE ARGUMENT FOR US.

BECAUSE THE DISTINCTION WAS BETWEEN A CORPORATE DEMOCRAT, WHO WAS BEHOLDEN TO SPECIAL INTERESTS, VERSUS A GRASSROOTS CANDIDATE.

>> Cathy: WELL, PEGGY FLANAGAN STUCK O HER PROGRESSIVE STANCES, AND ANGIE CRAIG, OF COURSE, ARGUED THAT HER MORE MODERATE VIEWPOINTS WOULD BE MORE -- WOULD MAKE HER MORE ELECTABLE STATEWIDE.

OBVIOUSLY SHE LOST, RIGHT?

SO I'M WONDERING, DID TUESDAY'S RESULTS MAYBE US A LITTLE MORE UNCERTAIN ABOUT THE ASSUMPTIONS WE MAKE ABOUT ELECTABILITY?

>> I MEAN, CERTAINLY.

BUT -- >> Cathy: OR JUST ONE RACE?

>> YEAH, NO.

ELECTABILITY IS THE PERSON THAT CONNECTS BEST WITH THE ELECTORATE AND AS JAVIER SAID, SHE DID 300 EVENTS AROUND THE STATE.

SHE IS THE MOST PROLIFIC ORGANIZER AND THAT IS WHAT WINS ELECTIONS AND THAT WHAT IS ELECTABILITY.

IS TO BE CLEAR, WE TALKED ABOUT IT ON THE PROGRAM BEFORE, THE AFTERMATH AND THE IMPACT OF OPERATION METRO SURGE ON THE VOTERS IN MINNESOTA CANNOT BE OVERSTATED.

AND PEGGY SPOKE TO THAT.

SHE SPOKE TO IMATION.

-- IMMIGRATION.

ANGIE CRAIG HAD THE VOTE OF THE LAKEN REILLY ACT AND PEOPLE WERE UPSET ABOUT IT AND THE NUMBERS WERE REFLECTIVE OF THAT.

>> THE MOMENTUM ON THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE NATIONALLY IS CLEARLY IN FAVOR OF PROGRESSIVES, RIGHT?

WE SAW THAT IN MICHIGAN, WE SAW THAT HERE IN MINNESOTA.

THAT HAS JUST BEEN THE CASE.

WHAT'S INTERESTING, ON THE REPUBLICAN SIDE, THE ELECTION WENT TO ELECTABILITY, LIKE ELECTABILITY IS BACK.

AND, SO, REPUBLICANS ENDED UP WITH OUR BEST POSSIBLE OUTCOME, WITH MICHELE TAFOYA WINNING THE SENATE RACE AND WITH LISA DEMUTH WINNING THE GOVERNOR'S RACE.

SO THAT IS AN INTERESTING CONTRAST, BECAUSE MOSTLY WHAT WE HAVE SEEN IN MINNESOTA IS THAT DEMOCRATS WOULD TYPICALLY GO BACK TO THE MORE MODERATE OR MAINSTREAM, RIGHT?

WHEN TIM WALZ WON THE PRIMARY AFTER NOT BEING ENDORSED, WHEN MARK DAYTON WON THE PRIMER AFTER NOT BEING ENDORSED.

THAT'S NOT WHAT HAPPENED.

THE DEMOCRATS WENT WITH THEIR FAR LEFT INSTINCTS, PEGGY FLANAGAN WINS.

AND REPUBLICANS HAVE PRESENTED A MORE MAINSTREAM, MODERATE CENTRIST VOICES AT THE TOP OF THE TICKET.

>> Eric: HOW DOES FLANAGAN/TAFOYA RACE SHAPE UP?

SEEMS LIKE A PRETTY GOOD BATTLE.

>> IT'S GOING TO BE, I THINK, ONE OF THE RACES TO WATCH NATIONALLY.

THE FACT THAT YOU SAW NATIONAL GROUPS, NRSE TO COME IN BEHIND TAFOYA EARLY ON, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE FOUND OUT THAT FLANAGAN IS GOING TO BE ON THE BALLOT, SEEING THE NATIONAL BALLOT THAT WE TALKED ABOUT, IT STARTED WITH MOM DANI IN 25, IT STARTED WITH THE PROGRESSIVE SOCIALISTS FOR GETTING THE NOD.

HUNG, A KNOWN DSA, GOT TO BE THE DEMOCRATS' NOMINEE IN WISCONSIN.

JUST KIND OF SEEING THAT AND BRINGING THAT ELECTABILITY FORWARD.

I THINK REPUBLICANS REALIZED WHAT WAS ON THE LINE.

THEY CHOSE CANDIDATES WHO WERE ELECTABILITY, SOMEONE WHO HAD DONOR SUPPORT HERE IN MINNESOTA, HAD SUPPORT NATIONALLY, COULD COALESCE, AND BRING IN NEW FOLKS INTO THE PARTY, FOLKS THAT WE HAD KIND OF LOST OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, I THINK THAT PRESENTS A VERY INTERESTING RACE.

>> Eric: JAVIER.

>> THE REPUBLICANS WERE SUCCESSFUL AT NOMINATING LESS EMBARRASSING CANDIDATES.

THAT IS TRUE.

BUT FOR SOMEONE TO BE ELECTABLE, YOU HAVE TO TURN OUT VOTES.

AND THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, PEGGY LANAGAN GOT MORE VOTES ON TUESDAY THAN ALL OF THE REPUBLICANS COMBINED.

AND THE EXCITEMENT 8 ON THE LEFT IS PALPABLE IN MINNESOTA AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

>> Cathy: I'M WONDERING, OKAY, O OUR POLITICAL ANALYSTS HERE, SO, RIAN, AND MAYBE, ALYSEN, JUMP IN, HOW DOES THE RACE LOOK BETWEEN FLANAGAN AND TAFOYA, WHAT IS ARE THE THEMES THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HERE?

>> REALLY, LIKE PREYA WAS SAYING, THIS IS A KEY RACE NATIONALLY, I THINK NATIONAL REPUBLICANS, IF WE DIDN'T HAVE MICHELE TAFOYA -- AND LISA DEMUTH AT THE TOP OF THE TICKET, NATIONAL REPUBLICANS WOULD PUT US TO THE SIDE.

NOW IT'S FRONT AND CENTER.

REPUBLICANS HAD A 30% INCREASE FROM THE HIGH WATER MARK IN 2018.

SUFFICE IT TO SAY, ON BOTH SIDES, THERE IS A LOT OF ENTHUSIASM, INTEREST IN ALL OF THESE RACES.

I THINK THE U.S.

SENATE RACE IS GOING TO BE PARTICULARLY INTERESTING BECAUSE THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR PEGGY FLANAGAN IS NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET AWAY FROM THE FACT THAT SHE'S PART OF THE WALZ/FLANAGAN ADMINISTRATION THAT LED TO $9 BILLION IN FRAUD.

AND THIS IS STILL A CRITICAL ISSUE AND THIS IS GOING TO UNFOLD.

WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO SEE PROSECUTIONS, GUILTY PLEAS, CONVICTIONS AROUND THE FRAUD THAT'S HAPPENED IN MINNESOTA.

AND I JUST DON'T KNOW HOW PEGGY FLANAGAN TRIES TO WASH THAT AWAY.

THAT'S GOING TO BE FRONT AND CENTER IN THAT SENATE RACE.

>> Cathy: WHAT DOES FLANAGAN ATTACK TAFOYA ON?

>> BEING A RUBBER STAMP FOR TRUMP.

AND THE IMPACTS, AGAIN, OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ON MINNESOTA, TO MINNESOTANS -- TWO MINNESOTANS THAT DIED, WERE KILLED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN JANUARY, AND IMMIGRATION AND JUST EVERYTHING THAT IS HAPPENING AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL AROUND IMMIGRATION AND THE ENFORCEMENT, BUT ALSO AFFORDABILITY.

GAS, MORTGAGE, HEALTHCARE, I MEAN, EVERYTHING IS THROUGH THE ROOF.

WE HAVE A LOT TO RUN ON.

AND PEGGY IS ADDRESSING FRAUD HEAD ON.

SHE IS NOT RUNNING FROM IT.

SHE IS TALKING ABOUT IT.

AND IF YOU HAVE ONE THING TO GO AFTER HER AND THEN MULTIPLE OTHER THINGS TO GO AFTER THE REPUBLICANS WITH, I STILL THINK THAT SHE'S GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL.

>> THE DEMOCRATS ARE GOING TO TRY TO, YOU KNOW, PUT THIS BACK ON THEIR TRUMP RUBBER STAMPS.

DONALD TRUMP DIDN'T ENDORSE EITHER OF THE CANDIDATES THAT WON.

IN FACT, BOTH OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY-ENDORSED CANDIDATES LOST.

SO YOU HAVE STATEWIDE CANDIDATES WHO CAN RUN ON THEIR OWN MERITS AND WHO CAN GO BACK TO THE DEMOCRATS AND SAY, WHERE WERE YOU?

WHERE WERE YOU WHEN THIS FRAUD HAPPENED?

WHERE WERE YOU WHEN THIS WAS UNFOLDING IN MINNESOTA?

AND I THINK REPUBLICANS, FOR A CHANGE, HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO RUN ON THEIR OWN MESSAGE.

>> I THINK ALSO THE POINT, TOO, IS THAT WE SEE THIS CYCLE AFTER CYCLE.

DEMOCRATS HAVE ONE MESSAGE, ONE MESSAGE ONLY.

IT IS DONALD TRUMP, BAD.

DEMOCRATS ARE GOOD.

WELL, THE REALITY IS, REPUBLICANS ACTUALLY HAVE SOMETHING TO RUN ON WITH THIS FRAUD ISSUE.

THE REALITY IS, DEMOCRATS HAVE BEEN IN CONTROL IN MINNESOTA FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS.

THIS HAS FALLEN SOLELY ON THEIR WATCH.

THAT IS GOING TO BE SOMETHING OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE THAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE AT THE TOP OF THIS RACE.

BUT I THINK ALSO, YOU KNOW, WE MENTIONED IMMIGRATION HERE FOR A QUICK SECOND.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT POLLING ACROSS THE COUNTRY, WHEN IT COMES TO METRO SURGE TYPE SITUATIONS IN CITIES LIKE CHICAGO, NEW YORK, LOS ANGELES, MINNEAPOLIS, WHILE PEOPLE DISAGREED WITH WHAT I.C.E.

WAS DOING AND STRONGLY OPPOSE THAT, THE CORE MESSAGE OF WHAT DONALD TRUMP RAN ON IN 2024, WHICH WAS TO GET RID OF CRIMINAL, ILLEGAL ALIENS OUT OF OUR STATES, TO FIX THE IMMIGRATION PROBLEM THAT LET HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF INDIVIDUALS INTO THE COUNTRY THAT WE DIDN'T KNOW, EVERY SINGLE MONTH INTO OUR COUNTRY, THAT IS STILL VERY POPULAR AMONGST INDEPENDENT IT IS, SOFT -- INDEPENDENTS, DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS.

>> Cathy: WE'VE GOT TO TALK ABOUT KLOBUCHAR AND DEMUTH.

HOW DOES THAT STACK UP?

>> AMY KLOBUCHAR IS A BEHEMOTH HERE.

AND SHE HAS THE CREDIBILITY TO TAKE ON, LIKE, THE ISSUES OF FRAUD.

AND TO THINK BROADLY -- MORE BROADLY ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE STATE.

I MEAN, I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE -- IT'S A BETTER PAIRING FOR REPUBLICANS THAN WHAT THEY WERE RACING FOR, BECAUSE EVERYONE WAS RACING FOR PILLOW GUY.

SO IT'S A LESS EMBARRASSING ONE.

>> Eric: DEMUTH WOULD BE THE FIRST BLACK WOMAN TO BE GOVERNOR.

>> CORRECT.

AND FOR SURE, LIKE, LET'S TAKE A MINUTE.

ALL FOUR MAJOR PARTY CANDIDATES OF BOTH RACES ARE WOMEN.

AND THAT IS FANTASTIC.

THAT IS GREAT TO SEE.

THE THING ABOUT AMY KLOBUCHAR IS, CERTAINLY SHE IS A JUGGERNAUT, BUT SHE HAS NEVER FACED A SERIOUS CHALLENGER.

LISA DEMUTH IS NOT CURT BILLS, WHO WAS THE OTHER GUY WHO RAN AGAINST HER?

JIM EWBERGER.

SHE'S A LEGITIMATE STRONG CANDIDATE WHO IS REALLY GOING TO TAKE THE RACE O HER.

YES, CERTAINLY SHE IS THE MOST POPULAR CANDIDATE OR POLITICIAN IN MINNESOTA RIGHT NOW.

BUT THIS IS A DIFFERENT SET OF CIRCUMSTANCES AND A DIFFERENT RACE.

>> Eric: GOT 30 SECONDS.

>> I KEEP GOING BACK TO THE ENTHUSIASM GAP.

THERE ARE 614,000 MINNESOTANS WHO VOTED FOR AMY KLOBUCHAR.

ONLY 287,000 WHO VOTED FOR LISA DEMUTH SO I THINK THAT CARRIES INTO NOVEMBER.

THERE'S A BIG ENTHUSIASM GAP TO MAKE UP.

THE POLLS JUST SHOW US THAT IT'S GOING TO BE A GOOD YEAR FOR DEMOCRATS.

AND I WAS A LITTLE WORRIED ABOUT MINNESOTA, BUT TUESDAY NIGHT TURNED OUT VERY WELL.

>> Cathy: WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT LISA DEMUTH?

>> I THINK DEMUTH IS AN EXCELLENT CANDIDATE TO RUN AGAINST KLOBUCHAR.

THE REALITY IS, TO BRIAN'S POINT, LOBUCHAR HAS NOT FACED A SERIOUS CHALLENGER SINCE RUNNING HER POLITICAL CAREER ROAR IN 2006.

WHEN THE REALITY IS, SHE HAS LOST GROUND WITH VOTERS EVERY SINGLE TIME THAT SHE HAS RUN, TO THE POINT WHERE HER VICTORY OF MARGIN WAS AT ITS LOWEST POINT IN 2024 WHEN SHE RAN AGAINST ROYCE WHITE.

PUT UP A CHALLENGER LIKE DEMUTH, HO'S GOT MONEY, WHO'S GOT INFLUENCE, WHO'S GOT A RECORD, CAN ACTUALLY AKE THE FIGHT TO HER, SHE'S GOING 0 HAVE A -- SHE'S GOING TO AVE A SERIOUS FIGHT IN NOVEMBER.

>> POLLING IN THE PRIMARY IS HARD.

I HAVE A LOT OF FRIENDS WHO ARE POLLSTERS, I'M NOT GOING TO BLAME HER.

IT WAS OFF HERE, OFF IN WISCONSIN, IT'S SOMETHING TO LOOK AT.

>> GREAT NIGHT FOR PREDICTION MARKETS, THOUGH.

>> Eric: PANEL, TERRIFIC.

FUN STUFF THIS WEEK.

GREAT ANALYSIS.

A QUICK NOTE AS WE HEAD INTO THE GENERAL ELECTION SEASON, WE ARE INVITING CANDIDATES IN MAJOR RACES TO DEBATE ON THE SHOW AND PLAN TO HOST AS MANY CONVERSATIONS AS POSSIBLE BETWEEN NOW AND ELECTION DAY.

WITH ALL OF THE PRIMARY NEWS TO PONDER, WE HAVE RUN LONG TONIGHT.

WE'LL HAVE THE INDEX FILE SECTION, AN ESSAY AND OTHER REGULAR SHOW FEATURES BACK NEXT FRIDAY.

WE'LL SEE YOU THEN.