A Break Down with Chris Madel on the State of Minnesota Politics

A Break Down with Chris Madel on the State of Minnesota Politics

Welcome to another episode of The Break Down with Brodkorb and Becky! This week, hosts Becky Scherr and Michael Brodkorb interview first-time guest Chris Madel, a Minneapolis trial attorney and former Republican candidate for Minnesota governor. In December 2025, Madel entered the GOP gubernatorial primary, campaigning on fighting government fraud, supporting law enforcement, and cutting state government costs.

Madel explains why he entered politics after representing law enforcement officers and seeing major problems, including fraud and leadership failures, and describes how Operation Metro Surge and reports of pretextual traffic stops targeting Hispanic and Asian officers shaped his views. Madel discusses how loyalty demands to President Trump make it difficult to win a Republican endorsement or compete in suburbs, argues the party is broken and needs more reasonable voices, and outlines positions on abortion, guns, and immigration.

Michael and Becky next break down recent polls on Americans’ views of the Iran war, President Trump, the issues, and the upcoming midterms.

00:00 Introduction and Episode Overview

01:08 Interview with Chris Madel

05:30 Questions about Operation Metro Surge

17:27 Rebuilding the GOP and key issues

37:22 Guns and Culture Wars

38:58 Staying Engaged in Politics

41:36 Recap of Madel Interview

47:51 Recent Polls on Iran, Trump, and Midterm Elections

01:11:30 Final Thoughts and Closing Remarks

The Break Down with Brodkorb and Becky will return with a new episode next week!