>> Eric: AS NOTED EARLIER WE ARE LESS THAN A MONTH AWAY FROM PRIMARY DAY HERE IN MINNESOTA AND PRESIDENT TRUMP JUMPED INTO FRAY THIS WEEK BY ENDORSING REPUBLICAN BOB THAT TO REMEMBER CANDIDATE MIKE LINDELL.

LOTS OF POLITICAL NEWS AND HERE WITH US TO BREAK IT ALL DOWN... FROM KARE 11, HOST OF "ON THE RECORD" POLITICAL REPORTER DANNY SPEWAK.

ALONGSIDE HIM... ESME MURPHY OF WCCO-TV AND HOST OF "TALKING POINTS."

AND ROUNDING OUT THE GROUP IS MARY LAHAMMER FROM PBS, ALMANAC YOU CANS "ALMANAC AT THE CAPITOL."

ESME, WHAT DOES THE LINDELL NEWS, PRESIDENT TRUMP LINDELL NEWS DO TO THE CAMPAIGN >> I THINK IT PIVOTS HIM TO -- INTERNAL POLLS HE WAS ALREADY AHEAD AND I ACTUALLY LOOKED UP BATOLPEDIA SURVEYED PRIMARY ENDORSEMENTS, AND PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS ENDORSED 227- CAUMP HAS ENDORSED 227- CANDP HAS ENDORSED 227- CANDIDHAS ENDORSED 227- CANDIDATS ENDORSED 227- CANDIDATESENDORSED 227- CANDIDATES, DORSED 227- CANDIDATES, 22RSED 227- CANDIDATES, 220 ED 227- CANDIDATES, 220 OF 227- CANDIDATES, 220 OF T27- CANDIDATES, 220 OF THE- CANDIDATES, 220 OF THEM WON.

>> ESPITE THE BAD NEWS CYCLE THAT'S KEEP COMING, I WAS SAYING THIS AFTERNOON, CAMPAIGN COMPLAINT AGAINST LINDELL FOR HANDING OUT PILLOWS, HIS MYPILLOW PILLOWS AT THE DELANO PARADE, THERE'S BEEN A COMPLAINT FILED AGAINST HIM, THEY'RE WORTH SUBSTANTIAL MONEY, 30 SOMETHING DOLLARS, SO THAT WAS LEVELED AGAINST HIM.

AND EVEN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY CHAIR ISSUED PROBABLY WHAT I WOULD THINK IS THE STRONGEST STATEMENT TO DATE I HAVE SEEN THE CHAIR.

FIRST HE SAID WE'RE SURPRISED BY IT AND THEN HE SAID THIS CANDIDATE OWES TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN TAXES, THERE'S SOME SERIOUS ISSUES SO THERE'S SOME ELECTABILITY ISSUES.

IT WAS A MULTI-PARAGRAPH KIND OF DISPARAGEMENT OF HE LEADING POTENTIAL CANDIDATE FOR GOVERNOR, IT WAS REMARKABLE.

>> Eric: WHAT DO YOU THINK?

>> WHAT AN INTERESTING DYNAMIC WE HAVE IN THIS REPUBLICAN PRIMARY.

THREE CANDIDATES, THE STATE HOUSE SPEAKER, TOP ELECTED REPUBLICAN IN STATE GOVERNMENT, THEN STATE PARTY NDORSED CANDIDATE, KENDALL QUALLS AND THEN PRESIDENTIAL ENDORSED CANDIDATE IN MIKE LINDELL AND THE STATE PARTY CRITICIZING THE PRESIDENT'S ENDORSEMENT, I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT, THE MOVING PARTS HERE ARE JUST ASTONISHING.

>> Eric: LISA DEMUTH GOT THE NRA ENDORSEMENT TODAY.

>> RIGHT, BUT SOMEBODY ELSE GOT THE PRESIDENT'S ENDORSEMENT.

I MEAN, I THINK IN THE END THAT'S THE ONE THAT COUNTS.

AND I THINK WHAT MARY SAID IS JUST REMARKABLE, THIS ANALYSIS OF WHAT LIKE THE CHAIR SAID, BOTH THE CANDIDATE AND THE PRESIDENT, I WAS JUST SHOCKED.

I DON'T THINK THAT'S EVER HAPPENED.

YOU KNOW, FOR TRUMP.

>> YEAH, UNPRECEDENTED DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING ANYMORE.

>> RIGHT.

>> BECAUSE EVERY WEEK WE GET UNPRECEDENTED IN MINNESOTA AND U.S.

POLITICS, IT'S JUST SURREAL.

IT'S A FUN TIME TO BE A POLITICAL REPORTER.

>> FOR SURE >> Cathy: LET'S TALK ABOUT THE U.S.

SENATE RACE HERE FOR A MOMENT ON THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE.

WE HAD BOTH ANGIE CRAIG AND PEGGY FLAN BEGAN HERE DEBATING ON "ALMANAC" AND THEY FOCUSED ON DARK MONEY IN THE CAMPAIGN TIE LARGE DEGREE AND I'M WONDERING WHERE YOU ALL SIT, DOES THE DARK MONEY, WHEN IT COMES FROM, DOES THAT HAVE SOME STICKINESS FOR VOTERS OR IS THAT TOO IN THE WEEDS >> I THINK THAT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION.

I'VE KIND OF WRESTLED WITH THIS AS WELL, PEOPLE THAT ARE REALLY INTO POLITICS ARE PAYING ATTENTION AND SEEING THE ADS BUT DOES THE GENERAL VOTER AT HOME REALLY THINK ABOUT IT, THEY MAY JUST SEE THE ADS ON TELEVISION.

I'VE ED WITH THAT OF HOW MUCH OF AN IMPACT THAT REALLY HAS, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU ALL THINK.

>> I THINK IT'S IN THE WEEDS.

I THINK PEOPLE SEE THE COMMERCIALS AND DON'T REALLY JUST DECIDE WHERE IT'S COMING FROM OR WHATEVER.

THAT IS A REAL FACTOR IN THIS RACE AND IT'S SOMETHING TO REALLY CONSIDER AND IT'S ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE AFTER THE PRIMARY.

>> HERE'S ONE THING THAT SURPRISED ME AND I HAD IT CONFIRMED BY A REPUBLICAN INSIDER TODAY, THAT ALL THE MONEY BEING SPENT IN THE .F.L.

PRIMARY, THE CRAIG VERSUS FLAN BEGAN COULD BE DRIVING INDEPENDENT LIBERTARIAN, EVEN REPUBLICAN VOTERS TO THE D.F.L.

PRIMARY, ANTI-FLANAG BEGAN, THIS, YOU KNOW, SOCIALISM IS COMING, THIS FEAR, WE'VE BEEN HEARING IT FROM TRUMP AT THE TIPPY TOP, THAT MAYBE AND I'VE HEARD DIRECTLY FROM REPUBLICAN VOTERS JUMPING OVER TO THE D.F.L.

PRIMARY BECAUSE THEY ARE SO MOTIVATED IN THE PRIMARY, AND THAT MEANS THEY SKIP, NOT JUST THE SENATE PRIMARY BUT THE GOVERNOR'S RACE.

AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE MEMBER OF A PARTY TO VOTE IN THE RHYMERY AND IF REPUBLICANS LOSE, SOME INDEPENDENT OR LIBERTARIAN MEMBERS MOTIVATED BECAUSE OF ALL THE MONEY BEING SENT, AND THE MESSAGE FROM THE TIPPY TOP, SOCIALISTS ARE COMING, COMMUNISTS ARE COMING, FEAR THAT, BECAUSE RIGHT FEAR IS A REALLY BIG MOTIVATOR.

AND COULD THAT MOTIVATE THAT PRIMARY RACE.

>> Eric: JANE FONDA ENDORSED PEGGY FLANAGAN.

>> I'M NOT SURPRISED.

I MEAN.

>> Eric: DO ENDORSEMENTS MATTER?

>> I DON'T THINK THEY DO MATTER.

I REALLY DON'T.

THERE'S BEEN A DEBATE ABOUT WHETHER ENDORSEMENTS MATTER FOR YEARS NOW AND I DO THINK THE EXCEPTION IS PRESIDENT TRUMP.

I REALLY DO.

I DON'T THINK THAT THEY DO MATTER.

>> AGREE WITH YOU THAT I THINK IT DEPENDS ON THE PERSON.

SOMEBODY IKE JANE FONDA.

>> I LIKE JANE FONDA, YOU KNOW, SHE'S A GREAT ACTRESS, BUT.

[ LAUGHTER ] >> AND DECADES OF KNOWING WHERE SHE STANDS N CERTAIN ISSUES, IT'S ALMOST LIKE A BAROMETER FOR PEOPLE, IF YOU'RE NOT PAYING ATTENTION TO THE RACE, OKAY, THAT'S THE PERSON THAT'S ON THAT SIDE.

THIS IS ANOTHER FASCINATING PRIMARY WHERE YOU HAVE TWO WELL KNOWN CANDIDATES WHO ARE RUNNING WELL OILED MACHINE CANDIDACIES RIGHT NOW, IT'S THE BIG LEAGUES, TWO THAT REALLY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING.

>> FLANAGAN IT'S FREE MEDIA, IF SHE'S BEHIND IN THE MONEY RACE, CRAIG IS BRINGING IN THE MONEY SO FLANAGAN GETS FREE MEDIA EVERY TIME SHE GETS ANOTHER ONE OF THESE BIG ENDORSEMENTS AND SHE'S HAD A LOT OF MOMENTUM WITH ENDORSEMENTS AND EVERY TIME WE SHOW UP WITH CAMERAS AND IT'S FREE MEDIA.

>> Cathy: WE ARE NOT GOING TO ASSUME THE GOVERNOR IS GOING TO ENDORSE ANYONE?

GOVERNOR WALZ, DOES ANYONE WANT HIS ENDORSEMENT AT THIS POINT >> OUCH.

[ LAUGHTER ] I'M JUST ASKING THE QUESTION.

ASKING THE QUESTION.

>> I THINK IT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION, CATHY, BUT OUCH.

>> GOVERNOR WALZ TO ME AND THIS IS JUST SEEING FROM THE OUTSIDE SEEMS TO SENSE THAT HE'S NOT INJECTING HIMSELF INTO THE STATE RACES, IT SEEMS VERY INTENTIONAL, I'VE NOTICED THAT.

>> CONGRESSIONAL BECAUSE HIS PAC DID ENDORSE IN HIS CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.

>> IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT COULD GET COMPETITIVE BECAUSE A COUPLE PEOPLE SWITCHED THAT RACE, REPUBLICAN VERSUS DEMOCRAT TO MAYBE CONTESTED, THAT'S SOMETHING TO WATCH.

>> I THINK SO.

I THINK IT MIGHT BE, YEAH, COULD BE A SLEEPER.

>> I THINK THE FIRST AND SECOND DISTRICTS ARE REAL INTERESTING RIGHT NOW, JUST THOSE ARE ONES THAT YOU COULD SEE EITHER GOING EITHER WAY, TO BE HONEST.

>> Eric: PREPARATION FOR SOME ELECTION INTERFERENCE?

IS THAT BEHIND THE SCENES?

>> WELL, THE PRESIDENT'S PREPARING FOR IT, CERTAINLY WITH A PRIMETIME ADDRESS.

>> THE PRESIDENT'S SENDING OBSERVERS HERE TO MINNESOTA, I MEAN, AMY KLOBUCHAR ASKED TODD BLANCHE THAT IN HIS CONFIRMATION HEARING, ARE THERE GOING TO BE ARMED OBSERVERS AT OUR POLLS AND HE BASICALLY NO, I FOLLOW THE LAW BUT IT WASN'T REALLY A CONVINCING NO.

I MEAN, I THOUGHT THE EXCHANGE WAS VERY ILLUMINATING AND I THINK TO MANY PEOPLE CONCERNING.

>> Cathy: WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT TURNOUT FOR PRIMARY?

WHAT DO WE THINK?

WHAT ARE YOU HEARING?

>> THAT'S REALLY HARD TO SAY, PROBABLY PRETTY LOW COMPARED TO WHAT PEOPLE MIGHT THINK BUT HIGHER THAN YOU NORMALLY SEE IN A PRIMARY.

>> Eric: 10% TO 10% TURNOUT WOULD BE THE RANGE I THINK.

>> RIGHT BUT SO MUCH MONEY SPEND, WOULDN'T IT BE REMARKABLE IF IT'S STILL PREPOSTEROUSLY LOW?

>> TWO YEARS IT WAS 12%, THEN 20 AND MAYBE 22% IN THAT RANGE, I THINK IT'S GOING TO E 20 TO 22% IN THAT RANGE.

>> Eric: WHAT'S TO BECOME OF THE NEW STATE FLAG?

30% LIKE IT.

>> NOT A LOT.

LEAVE IT TO THE NEXT LEGISLATURE PERHAPS.

>> Eric: CITIZEN VOTE MAYBE?

>> PUT IT ON THE BALLOT.

>> Eric: THERE YOU GO.