Beers with Blois: Recent Episodes
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Hosted by WCCO Radio’s Blois Olson, Beers with Blois tries a different approach rather than polarized and partisan.. Instead, Olson hosts conversations over a refreshing beverage aims to bring out a personal side of guests for Minnesotans to relate.
On this week's Sunday Take with WCCO political analyst Blois Olson, he catches up with AJ Awed who is running for Mayor of Minneapolis. Plus majority leader of the Minnesota House of Representatives Ryan Winkler, and Minnesota Senator Karin Housley both discuss the potential special session on COVID frontline worker relief.
This week, WCCO political analyst Blois Olson talks to Steve Simon, Minnesota's Secretary of State who announced he will run for re-election, Steve Hunegs the Executive Director of the Jewish Community Relations Council, and with this week's media roundtable with TPT's Mary LaHammer and Laura McCallum the Star Tribune's Politics and Government Editor.
Blois talks to John Stanoch, a former Hennepin County District Judge on the huge week in courts and politics. He then chats with journalist Rebecca Brannon who was working on the Lazarro story in February. Finally, Peter Callaghan of MinnPost and Steve Karnowksi of AP join for a media roundtable on the biggest stories of the week.
In the first edition of our new show "Sunday Take" hosted by WCCO political analyst Blois Olson, he talks to Ramsey County Attorney John Choi about their new policy on low-level traffic stops, the new head of the Minnesota Senate GOP Jeremy Miller who is replacing gubernatorial candidate Paul Gazelka, plus talks politics with Torey Van Oot from Axios and Ricardo Lopez of the Minnesota Reformer.
Ward 11 City Council candidate Dillon Gherna had a blue-collar upbringing in the Michigan mining town of Calumet, but fell in love with the cosmopolitan City of Lakes upon moving here at 18 years old. On this episode, hear Gherna discuss his approach toward public safety, his views on the city’s housing needs, and challenging an incumbent in a consequential election year for the city.
First Transit project manager Steven Frich believes he has what it takes to win the competitive Ward 10 City Council seat left vacant by departing Council President Lisa Bender. Hear the candidate discuss his platform – aligned with a Democratic Socialist vision – and what a Minneapolis under this ideology would look like.
Longtime Longfellow resident Tom Anderson has built a career in education, and his run for the Ward 2 City Council seat emphasizes the importance of schools in Minneapolis’ future. But in challenging Minneapolis’ only non-DFL affiliated City Council member, Anderson discusses how his stances on issues of public safety, housing, and more set him apart.
“The world is watching Minneapolis right now,” says candidate for Ward 2 Robin Wonsley Worlobah, whose fight for social justice is informed by an upbringing in a predominantly Black, working-class Southside Chicago neighborhood and work for state teachers’ union Education MN. On this episode, hear the Democratic-Socialist candidate discuss her run against an incumbent also outside of the two major parties, the future of public safety, and responding to the city’s historic moment.
Candidate for Ward 7’s City Council seat Nick Kor found a passion for organizing when helping LGBTQ+ classmates at the University of Thomas find their place, and after travelling the country as a Bush Fellow, his attention turned to city politics. In this episode, hear Kor discuss a vision for “housing as a human right,” reimagining public safety, and more. Plus, listen for the candidate’s favorite spot to grab a drink in the city!
Mickey Moore registered to run as a third party candidate for Congress on the day after the killing of George Floyd, and relative electoral success in his own Ward 9 inspired him to continue campaigning in its City Council race. Public safety, economic vitality, and preserving the ward’s business corridor success are crucial issues for Moore – hear him elaborate in this episode.
Park Board Commissioner LaTrisha Vetaw is no stranger to running for office, nor is she unfamiliar with the Northside. As she runs against an incumbent in the Ward 4 City Council race, she speaks to changes and misconceptions about the Northside, how her neighbors feel about ward-specific potent topics like public safety, affordable housing, economic development, and much more.
David Wheeler, candidate for Ward 10’s open City Council seat, has experience serving in city government; he spent years serving the city of Duluth in many roles and even ran for mayor. After ending up on Minneapolis’ Board of Estimate & Taxation, he cites a continued call to bring his knowledge to city issues - like public safety and housing – as reason for running for City Council in a crucial year. Hear it all on this episode.
Community organizer and union activist Aisha Chughtai says she moved to Whittier because it “was the only place I could afford to live,” but found her passion for serving the community. On this episode, hear the Ward 10 candidate discuss community-rooted initiatives relating to public safety from Little Earth to the Community Safety Specialist program, the fight for rent stabilization, and her family’s path from Pakistan to Minneapolis.
As a firefighter for 20 years, Chris Parsons says, “I know a disaster when I see it” – it’s why he decided to run for Ward 10’s open seat to help the city he’s loved since childhood. Hear the candidate talk about the need to hire more officers to confront a “pandemic-fueled rise in crime,” impacts of changes in housing policy, and an issue that could set him apart from the competitive field: his strong stance on Minneapolis acting in the fight to decriminalize marijuana by rethinking how it addresses low-level drug offenses.
Engineer Katie Jones has sustainability on her mind – she asserts that cities can play a huge role in the fight against climate change, from transit to building codes, and she intends to act on these issues should she win the competitive Ward 10 race. In this episode, though, Jones discusses much more than a city’s climate resilience – hear the community builder talk about the city charter and role of staff, the intersection of housing and public safety, and more.
Sheila Nezhad is a longtime community organizer, holds a city budget role with Reclaim the Block, and is looking to be Minneapolis’ next mayor - a candidate whose views on most of the city’s biggest issues are diametrically opposed to those of Mayor Frey. On this episode, hear Nezhad discuss her path to the decision to run for mayor, the meaning and messaging of a police-free future, potential ballot initiatives including a rent stabilization amendment, and, of course, her favorite beer stop in Minneapolis.
Not only is Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey running for re-election, he’s also dealing with twin crises after one of the most difficult years in the city’s history. Frey joins as the first guest in the new season of ‘Beers with Blois,’ focused on candidates in the 2021 Minneapolis election, to discuss the ongoing public safety debate and divide, rent and housing, preserving downtown, the “strong mayor” government structure proposal floated by the Charter Commission, having a kid during amidst a tumultuous first term, and so much more.
Kate Knuth, a former state representative with experience in climate work, decided to enter the race for Minneapolis mayor in what she considers a “critical moment” for the city. Intersecting this year are discussions surrounding the future of public safety, housing and homelessness, the city’s resilience, charter technicalities surrounding the structure of Minneapolis’ government, and much more; in this episode, Knuth discusses her stances on all of the above and her hopes for the community in an election year.
Patty Mueller became involved in local politics after an experience teaching in China gave her a greater appreciation for the United States’ political system, but community members and students alike eventually pushed the southern Minnesotan English teacher to run for state office. Hear freshman Rep. Mueller discuss her far-reaching campaign, necessary changes to the Minnesota education system, her love of spicy food, and more.
Newly-elected Representative John Thompson has long been driven to help his East Saint Paul community by speaking at committee hearings for years, especially empowered by the police killing of his friend Philando Castile, with whom he worked for Saint Paul Public Schools. On this episode, Rep. Thompson discusses his diverse community’s educational needs, legislators’ perception of him as an “activist,” takeaways from his campaign controversy in Hugo, and much more. Plus, listen to the end to hear the Chicago Cubs fan’s favorite cold one stop in his district!
Former public defender and Education Minnesota lawyer Cedrick Frazier not only brings legal expertise to the State House, but also a unique perspective on policies’ regional effects. A lifelong Bears fan, Frazier came to Minnesota from the South Side of Chicago to study and play football at the University of Minnesota-Morris; on this episode, hear him describe the “culture shock” of moving from Chicago to Morris, his policy priorities in this session, and the activities he uses to unwind after a long week at the Legislature.
After transitioning from the state house to the upper chamber, Senator Mary Kunesh of Columbia Heights wasted no time in getting to work. On the latest episode of the new legislator season, listen to Kunesh, a teacher herself, discuss necessary changes to education policy and equity during and after the pandemic, and hear more about the legislator’s path from working three jobs as a single mother of three to being an impressive figure in Minnesota politics.
Former Lakeville school board member and now-State Senator Zach Duckworth always arrives early, whether it be a podcast interview or a committee hearing. But Duckworth is impressive beyond his defiance of “Senate time”; hear the young Republican discuss flipping a high-profile district while avoiding toxic partisanship in the battle of “nice guys,” education policy emerging from the pandemic’s spike, and more.
Not only was Rep. Bjorn Olson the mayor of Walter Mondale’s hometown of Ellmore in southwestern Minnesota, but he also still lives in the former vice president’s former house backyard where Mondale announced his 1984 presidential candidacy. Hear Olson, a social studies teacher, farmer, and U.S. Army Reserve Captain recount past encounters with Mondale and Governor Walz, and hear him discuss how his rural, agricultural roots inform serving as a southwestern Minnesotan representative.
Aric Putnam, professor of communication at Saint John’s University and the College of Saint Benedict for 17 years, found his passion for studying and teaching rhetorical theory in his own college experience. Now, he flipped a district from red to blue as Saint Cloud’s senator. On this episode, the professor discusses the city’s salient issues – from veterans’ concerns to education – as well as more about his own path from California to central Minnesota.
Representative Brain Pfarr, member of the Minnesota National Guard for over three decades and bank president, boasts a resume that helped him win his first ever run for office in Minnesota’s district 20A. Hear him discuss lessons learned from his service – including his involvement in containing the civil unrest that swept Minneapolis this summer – and more in another episode of the new legislator season.
After flipping his district in a contest against an incumbent, representative and New Republican caucus member Erik Mortensen continued to be one of the most outspoken critics of the governor. But get to know “Mort,” as the reluctant politician is colloquially known, in this episode as he talks about the role of government, the future of the GOP, and going winter camping in -71°F windchill conditions.
Nonprofit founder and South Dakota-born senator-elect Lindsey Port of Burnsville has worked on many campaigns in the past, but none was quite like 2020 – which saw numerous surprise issues and pandemic obstacles. Hear Port describe winning suburban voters, navigating national narratives and turnout uncertainty on the campaign trail, and how Democrats can win small business owners in this latest episode of Beers with Blois.
Seeing the absence of civil engineers in government, Ann Johnson, who started her own engineering business, decided to step up to the plate to join infrastructure policymaking. But district 44 senator-elect Johnson is eager to act on more than a single issue; hear her discuss the climate crisis, “common sense” gun laws, and more. And, stick around to the end of the podcast to hear the northern Wisconsinite’s beverage and brewery recommendations.
After working on Paul Wellstone’s 2002 campaign team kickstarted Emma Greenman’s interest in “returning politics to the people,” the district 63B representative-elect is moving from a career of community organizing to a legislative role. Hear Greenman talk about her fascination with voting and democracy (and their relevance in the 2020 election), serving her hometown district, and, of course, the best bar crawl destinations in southeast Minneapolis.
Donald Raleigh, representative-elect for district 38A, brings to the legislature a distinguished background of military service and almost two decades of small business experience. The new legislator discusses salient issues in his Anoka and Washington County district, including business support and a return to in-person education, as well as running a positive campaign in a polarized year.
Hawaiian-born lawyer Athena Hollins was elected to represent her Saint Paul house district after upsetting incumbent John Lesch in the Democratic primary. Hollins discusses campaigning in a year of revolving issues, including climate justice and public safety, and her impressive adjustment to Minnesota's cold winters.
As a self-proclaimed “legal nerd” equipped with years of experience in immigration law and with the ACLU, Rep.-elect Sandra Feist discusses her legislative ambitions concerning education, civil liberties, and more. Also, tune in to hear about the newly-formed “nerd caucus” and Feist’s wide range of interests – from heavy metal to Minnesota sports.
Jordan Rasmussen, elected to represent Otter Tail County’s prevailing house district, has been to Harvard and back; in this episode, he discusses his homecoming to Fergus Falls and how to attract more young people to rural Minnesota. Hear the investment and consulting veteran explain how Excel spreadsheets and “returns on investment” inform his views on Minnesota’s regulatory environment, especially in a district miles from the North Dakota border.
Hailing from Grand Rapids, Rep.-elect Spencer Igo brings not only a background of working for Jason Lewis and Pete Stauber to St. Paul this session, but also a drive to help his northern district see a thriving economy. The 24-year-old outdoorsman talks about COVID-19 restrictions, the Minnesota culture of community, and his surprising beer of choice – listen to the end for the reveal!
Previously a Chanhassen City Council member, new Senator Julia Coleman brings a young mom’s view to her first term in the Minnesota Senate. Hear what issues she wants to champion and how her father-in-law Norm Coleman gives her political counsel
Former State Representative Erin Murphy returns to the Legislature as a Senator. She discusses the new DFL freshman, how COVID-19 changed campaigning and what’s on her agenda for the 2021 Session.
Season 3, Ep. 2 - On the latest Beers with Blois Bipartisan series, Rep. Rena Moran of St. Paul and Rep. Tony Albright of Prior Lake discuss how they have forged a strong working relationship despite different party affiliation and representing different parts of the state. What are the odds they give themselves if they could get a deal done in a special session and what's their beverage of choice.
Season 3 Episode 1 - Beers with Blois: A bipartisan beer with DFLer Heather Edelson and Republican Dave Baker. Edelson and Baker discuss how even though they are in different parties they connected to work on legislation, COVID-19 guidance and what their shared experiences bring to the legislature.
DFL State Senator Matt Little the top target for Republicans in 2020 shares his "secret sauce" for campaign success.
Rep. Pete Stauber talks mining, COVID-19, and hockey over a cold one on a Friday afternoon.
New Senate Minority Leader Susan Kent discusses why she challenged Sen. Tom Bakk to be minority leader, what the underlying issues are in the caucus, how the DFL could take back the Senate and where she would spend a weekend in Minnesota."
At Midtown Global Market, DFL candidate for Congress Antone Melton-Meaux discusses why he's challenging Rep. Ilhan Omar and how he would bring a different approach to DC
Senate Tax Chair State Sen. Roger Chamberlain discusses his suburban district and his approach to representing the swing district, as well as how Minnesota's economy will be challenged in the future, and his thoughts on social media's impact on our kids and he quotes Madonna. From White Bear's Big Wood Brewery.
State Rep. Greg Davids could be the longest serving Republican after the 2020 election. On Beer's with Blois the veteran lawmaker talks about which DFLers he likes to work with, how the culture of the legislature works, and what's important to him in the upcoming bonding bill.
Retiring Hennepin County Commissioner Mke Opat discusses how the county board has changed in his nearly 30 years on the board from his new passion for "The Wishbone", to Target Field and what needs to happen to start construction on the next transit corridor
Former MN Supreme Court Justice Alan Page and Mpls. Federal Reserve President Neel Kashkari chat about the proposed Constitutional Amendment on education and how they decided to push it forward
Former Congressman Jason Lewis shares thoughts on how he can defeat Sen. Tina Smith and the conversations and issues he's seeing emerge in Greater Minnesota
State Sen. Nick Frentz shares a cold one with Blois at Number 4 in Mankato to discuss the recent DFL leadership shake-up, the issue of health care in his district and how guns are divisive but illustrative depending on where in Minnesota you're from
DFL candidate for Congress Dan Feehan shares a beer with Blois to talk about why he's running again, how he feels Rep. Jim Hagedorn is doing, and what campaigning with a newborn in the house means.
From 10K Brewing in downtown Anoka, State Auditor Julie Blaha drinks a flight of beer and discusses how State Auditor engages with local governments, identifies trends in government finance, and which local government entity will start being reviewed.
At Fat Pants Brewing in Eden Prairie, Sen. Steve Cwodzinski discusses the issues that voters in his district bring to his attention when he's in the community, and as a teacher what classes he thinks every kid should have to take.
Secretary of State Steve Simon sits down with Blois at Steel Toe in St. Louis Park to discuss the Presidential Primary, election security, Ranked Choice Voting and the other issues that have nothing to do with elections handled by the Secretary of State.
At the Parkview Grille in Litchfield, former Lieutenant Governor Michelle Fischbach sits down over a Surly Furious with Blois to discuss why she wants to go to Washington and what issues will differentiate her from Rep. Collin Peterson.
In the east metro, Sen. Karin Housley talks about elder care reform, the decision not to run for the U.S. Senate, and hockey over a beer and a local seltzer from Lift Bridge Brewery in Stillwater.
From Badger Hill Brewing in Shakopee first-term Rep. Brad Tabke discusses politics in a swing district, surprises in his first term, and transportation.
From Dual Citizen brewery Sen. Dick Cohen talks about major legislation he's helped pass and current dynamics within the Senate including his challenge from fmr. Rep. Erin Murphy.
From Dual Citizen brewery Sen. Dick Cohen talks about major legislation he's helped pass and current dynamics within the Senate including his challenge from fmr. Rep. Erin Murphy.
Over beers at Utepils, Rep. Jeremy Munson talks health care, starting a new caucus and his idea for a new bill for elections and open legislative seats.
State Representative Pat Garofalo talks about a bipartisan idea for legalizing marijuana, a new outline for structuring bonding, and of course, sports betting in Minnesota.
State Sen. Eric Pratt sits down over a Pacifico to discuss his leadership on passing bi-partisan wage theft legislation and pushback he received from people in his own party. Pratt discusses how he has approached trying to find a solution on the emergency insulin issue with DFLers. Finally, while rumored to be considering a candidacy for Congress against Rep. Angie Craig, Pratt announces he’ll run for re-election to the State Senate.
From Wild Minds Ales in South Minneapolis, Sen. Tina Smith talks about the culture of the U.S. Senate and who sits with who at lunch, how her marketing background changes the way she views traveling the state and meeting with people. She also shares early thoughts on her 2020 re-election campaign and what’s she’s learning about new currency on the Financial Services Committee.
At the Republican Party booth, over a “Beer-garita”, from Tejas at the Minnesota State Fair, Carnahan talks about how President Trump’s campaign has invested unprecedented resources in Minnesota for a Presidential race. Carnahan also discusses the what’s at stake in the Minnesota Senate and how she grew into her role as a political outsider.
From Burning Brothers brewery in St. Paul, Rep. Betty McCollum brings us to our first gluten-free brewery and discusses the dynamics of being back in the majority and the Minnesota delegation. She shares her views on copper-nickel mining in Northern Minnesota, her role as the chair of an appropriations committee.
Rep. Angie Craig drinks a local IPA with Blois and discusses what constituents are concerned about as she represents a district that President Donald Trump won in 2016, but Craig won in 2018. Talking about her plans for 2020, Craig shares how she’s approached meeting with lobbyists, what farmers have been telling her, and her work with Rep. Pete Stauber.
Republican challenger in Minnesota's Third Congressional District Kendall Qualls sits down at the Rock Elm Tavern in Plymouth for a cold one. Qualls discusses why he decided to run for Congress, issues he thinks he can make a difference on and where he thinks Rep. Dean Phillips hasn't delivered.
At the Allianz Field Beer Hall, Mayor Melvin Carter shares his priorities for St. Paul neighborhoods and residents. From major redevelopment opportunities on the riverfront, the Ford Plant and in Midway to what he’s learned during ride-alongs with police in the city.
Over some different Schell’s brewed beers at Crooked Pint in Fairbault, Rep. Jim Hagedorn joins Blois to discuss how Chinese trade has impacted the first district, his support of President Donald Trump, and what businesses and the agriculture community is concerned about as he travels the first district.
In Duluth at Hoops Brewing, Duluth Mayor Emily Larson discusses how Duluth residents voted for higher taxes for infrastructure with over 70 percent of the vote, what the city is doing to address making housing more accessible, and why she’s taking the lead on pushing the EPA to study hydrogen fluoride after a refinery explosion in Superior, WI.
From Invectis Brewery in Blaine, Beers with Blois catches up with State Sen. Michelle Benson on potential ways to split-up DHS and forthcoming prescription drug reform legislation. She shares the perspective on how physicians in the Senate influence legislation and what her plan is for re-election in 2020.
In the latest Beers with Blois, Rep. Dean Phillips discusses the presence of bipartisan collegiality in Washington and talks about the impact of over 90 freshman members of the U.S. House. He also addresses whether he will run for reelection, and questions Republicans have raised about his decision to file for an extension in for his financial disclosure form.
Speaker Melissa Hortman sits down with Blois with a Lift Bridge Root Beer. A few highlights:
On the 100 percent clean energy standard:
“We know that the more to 100 percent clean energy standard. Planet Earth is literally on fire. We know from past experience here in Minnesota the more we transition the more jobs we create. I would like to see us persuade the Republican Senate to get those things done in 2020.”
On exercise and “Disco Walking”:
“I really only like 2 forms of exercise cross country skiing and door knocking. And we don’t do as much door knocking in non-election years. I’m trying to fill this space with a phenomenon I call “Disco Walking” where I listen to great 70’s music and walk really fast.
On guns and the 2020 election:
“Where do we have consensus across the entire state. The measures that we are pursuing are those that are broadly supported across geographic areas. This year we are laser-focused on two that have passed in Republican-led states. Even NRA members support criminal background checks. Red flag laws, when someone articulated a desire to do harm to another person or to themselves. Now, it would require a law enforcement to get a red flag order.”
Rep. Tom Emmer sits down with host Blois Olson and talks about his hobby of brewing beer and his beer tracking app, Rep. Ilhan Omar’s relationship with the Minnesota delegation and on Congress failure of doing its job since the 1990’s because of a lack of leadership. He also had a few things to say about hockey parents and what people are think about Trump in his district.
On the 2020 election and running the NRCC:
“History told use we were going to lose 32 as it turned out we lost 40. We lost forty by a total of 106,000 votes. That’s a little less than 6,000 per seat that we have to get back.”
On the rise of socialism in the Democratic party:
"There is a new breed of Democrat that has entered the Democratic party. This is not my grandfather’s Democratic party. The new group that has come in, they are not believers in a constitutional republic. They are believers in a European socialism and beyond. These new Democrats, who are not really Democrats they are socialists and beyond. They are not coming after Republicans right now, they are going to clean out and remake the Democratic party as we know it. Once they accomplish that they’ll come after the rest of us.”
On his relationship with Democrats and Rep. Ilhan Omar:
“It’s odd. I had a great working relationship with Rick Nolan, and Erik Paulsen was there and very respected and Tim Walz same thing. You still have Collin you still have Amy. I went from being the new guy to being the most senior guy on the Republican side. Pete Stauber has been a superstar, Angie Craig is being very smart the way she is handling herself. Dean Phillips is a class-act. I would suggest at times although I have gotten along with her, that there hasn’t been a solid relationship with the new Representative from Minneapolis with the delegation.”
Deputy House Minority Leader Ann Neu joins Blois to discuss Gov. Tim Walz role in the budget negotiations, Trump’s influence in the 2020 elections and how Minnesota DFLers are starting to look like DC Democrats on “radical” proposals.
Mayor Jacob Frey introduces Blois to actual beer at La Doña, a cervezaria near where the Minnesota United Soccer stadium was going to be. Olson and Frey cover a variety of topics over some Mexican lagers, including his his relationship police and with Chief Medaria Aradando, job growth in Minneapolis and his views on affordable housing. You need to look at the affordable housing crisis from two different perspectives. First, you have to operate on the subsidy side. The other side of it is simple supply and demand economics, we’ve got a whole lot of people who want to live in Minneapolis right now,” he said.
In the third edition of Beers with Blois, host Blois Olson sits down with Sen. Min. Leader Tom Bakk and House Min. Leader Kurt Daudt who are on the outside looking in for the final budget negotiations at the Capitol.
As Gov Walz, Speaker Hartmann and Sen. Maj. Leader Gazelka negotiate, the two players in the past two budgets lay out how a deal might come together and the strategy of negotiation.
In the second edition of 830 WCCO New's Talk's political podcast, Beers with Blois, Sen. Maj. Leader Paul Gazelka tells host Blois Olson that Gov. Tim Walz may have won the last election but Republican senators had just as many votes in the 2016 election.
In the first edition of our new political podcast, Beers with Blois, Gov. Tim Walz says Republican senators have privately suggested they can support his gas tax.