Andy Brehm joins Kyle Shiely to break down what could become one of Minnesota’s most competitive Senate races in twenty years and whether Michelle Tafoya is striking the right tone with Minnesota voters.

Republicans are entering this election with something they’ve lacked in recent statewide races, candidates voters may actually see as credible alternatives to the DFL. With Tafoya facing Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan, the race features sharp contrasts in perspectives over taxes, government spending, economic growth and Minnesota’s political direction.

But is Tafoya’s message helping her make that case?

Kyle and Andy debate her recent Fox News appearance, where Tafoya said Minnesotans were embarrassed to say they are from here. Kyle questions whether that kind of negativity risks overshadowing a stronger economic message, while Andy calls it “tough love and highlights the need to acknowledge concerns about fraud, government accountability and people leaving the state.

They also examine how Tafoya can criticize Minnesota’s problems while still offering voters an optimistic vision, whether her blunt style will connect with undecided Minnesotans, and what role former Senator Norm Coleman could play behind the scenes.

With plenty of voters still making up their minds, the battle over Minnesota’s political identity may only be getting started.

A federal investigation into anti-ICE protesters is raising new questions about just how far the government should be allowed to go in surveilling Americans.

Minnesota Reformer editor-in-chief J. Patrick Coolican joins Kyle Shiely to break down revelations that federal investigators accessed private communications, financial records, labor organizations, and other civic groups while investigating people accused of disrupting ICE operations at the Whipple Federal Building. The tactics are prompting a bigger question: When does a criminal investigation become political surveillance?

Kyle and Patrick connect the controversy to one of the darkest chapters in modern American intelligence gathering—the abuses uncovered by the Church Committee in the 1970s—and ask whether today’s surveillance technology is racing ahead of the laws meant to control it. And there’s a warning for both parties: powers used against your political opponents today can be used against you tomorrow.

Then, the fight over mining near the Boundary Waters took center stage this week when Governor Tim Walz’s issued an executive action which could force Minnesota’s next governor to make a politically explosive decision over mining, jobs, environmental risk, and the future of the Iron Range.

From federal surveillance in Minnesota to the next major fight over the Boundary Waters, Patrick Coolican breaks down two stories with consequences that could extend far beyond the headlines.

Read Patrick's editorial: https://minnesotareformer.com/2026/08/13/the-government-is-spying-on-its-own-citizens-again/

Amy Klobuchar could be headed for the governor’s office but what happens to her Senate seat if she wins could be an even bigger story.

Kyle Shiely and political strategist Mike Norton dig into one of the biggest unanswered questions hanging over Minnesota politics: should Klobuchar tell voters who she would appoint to replace her before Election Day?

If Klobuchar picks wrong, could we see a repeat of the infamous 1978 “Minnesota Massacre” which cost the DFL control of the State?

They debate the risks of a surprise appointment, possible successors including Steve Simon, Thom Peterson and Kelly Morrison, and the one person Mike doesn't want to see named.

Then, Kyle and Mike break down Peggy Flanagan’s decisive primary victory over Angie Craig. Was it Flanagan’s energized ground game, Craig’s more moderate campaign, or a sign that Minnesota DFL voters are demanding a sharper progressive message?