Becky and Michael discuss the state auditor’s limitations, the value of nonpartisanship, and recent media scrutiny around GOP-endorsed auditor candidate Nate George.
They then break down new KSTP/SurveyUSA polling on GOP primaries for governor and Senate, the DFL U.S. Senate primary between Angie Craig and Peggy Flanagan, and a tightening attorney general race.
The episode closes on Bernie Sanders elevating Minnesota as a progressive battleground.
00:00 — Welcome, Last Week Recap, and Meet Jay Reeves:
Opening remarks, a recap of last week’s Trump-Lindell endorsement coverage, some dino shirt banter, and an introduction to state auditor candidate Jay Reeves.
05:56 — Jay’s Life Story: Service, Cancer, and a Twin Brother:
Jay Reeves shares his personal background, military service, his cancer diagnosis, the story of his twin brother, and what drove him toward public life.
14:47 — Why Third Party and the Ballot Access Fight: Reeves explains his decision to run outside the two-party system, the legal and logistical challenges of ballot access, and the push to fix Minnesota’s signature rules.
29:57 — Why State Auditor: Fraud, Data Dashboards, and Proactive Oversight: Reeves makes the case for his auditor candidacy, his vision for fraud prevention through data dashboards, a proactive oversight plan, and what nonpartisan accountability looks like in practice.
46:56 — Auditor Powers, Fixing Fraud Now, and Making the Office Visible: A breakdown of what the state auditor can actually do, how Reeves would use those powers to address fraud immediately, and his plan to raise the office’s public profile.
53:54 — Debates, Campaign Style, and How to Follow Jay: Reeves on his approach to debates, his campaign style, and where voters can follow and engage with his candidacy.
01:00:11 — Post-Interview Debrief and Governor and Senate Primary Polls: Becky and Michael react to the Reeves interview, then dig into the latest polling on the GOP and DFL governor and Senate primaries and the tight attorney general race.
01:21:55 — Progressive Rally Impact and Wrap Up: A breakdown of the progressive rally’s political impact on the primary landscape and closing thoughts ahead of next week.
The Break Down with Brodkorb and Becky will return with a new episode next week!