MPR News senior politics reporter Clay Masters looks back on the 2024 election campaign for the Iowa Caucus to election events leading up to this week when President-elect Trump stepped back into the White House.

MPR News politics editor Brian Bakst and his guests talk about the Minnesota Legislature and how the state will govern in 2025 with both chambers split virtually down the middle.

It’s now November and Election Day is almost here.

MPR News politics editor Brian Bakst talks with Minnesota’s Secretary of State about what’s being done to make sure the balloting and the counting goes smoothly, and when might we know who won races up and down the ballot.

Later, Minnesota DFL and Republican Party chairs share their closing takes on an unconventional campaign year, and seasoned political pros stop in for an election night preview. We’ll learn what they’re watching for and how the state Capitol might look when the dust settles.

Guests:

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• Steve Simon is the Minnesota Secretary of State.

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• Ken Martin is the Minnesota DFL Party chair.

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• David Hann is the chairman of the Republican Party of Minnesota.

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• Chas Anderson is the CEO and senior principal at Park Street Public.

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• Todd Rapp is the CEO and President of Rapp Strategies Inc.

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Subscribe to the Politics Friday podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcast.

Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.

Presidential election years can make for unpredictable outcomes down the ballot.

For Minnesota, the party that turns out its base — and connects with independents best — has the inside track to gain the gavels at the state’s Capitol.

The Senate majority will be decided by a single, winner-take-all race in the western suburbs. As for the House, key races in northern Minnesota and some in the south could determine if the DFL trifecta will live on into 2025.

MPR News politics editor Brian Bakst talks with Minnesota Speaker of the House Melissa Hortman, a Democrat and House Minority Leader Lisa Demuth, a Republican, about their party’s prospects in next month’s election.

Later, a look at a northern Minnesota congressional race that features a rematch from two years ago.

Guests:

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• House Speaker Melissa Hortman, DFL-Brooklyn Park

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• House Minority Leader Lisa Demuth, R-Cold Spring

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• Jennifer Schultz, a DFL candidate for Minnesota’s 8th Congressional District seat.

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Subscribe to the Politics Friday podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcast.

Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.

Earlier this week marked one year since Hamas attacked Israel. Hamas militants invaded Israel, killed about 1,200 people and kidnapped another 250 people, making it the deadliest attack in Israel’s history. About 100 hostages have not been returned. Israel’s retaliation in Gaza has killed more than 41,000 people and wounded more than 96,000, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, and resulted in mass displacement and a humanitarian crisis.

As the war in the Middle East continues with no immediate cease-fire deal in sight, the situation will pose difficulties for the next U.S. president. Jon Alterman, author of the piece “Middle East Challenges Will Vex Not Only the First 100 Days but the First 1,000,” sums up the complex challenges that await. It’s part of a new report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies on the global impact of the 2024 election, where Alterman serves as the senior vice president. He also directs the Middle East Program.

MPR News politics editor Brian Bakst talks with Alterman about the dynamics in the Middle East and where the leading presidential candidates line up. Later, a peer-led, follow-up conversation with two Generation Z voters about their feelings toward the election after a summer of unprecedented political events.

With new candidates on the Democratic ticket and former president Donald Trump atop the Republican ticket for a third time, a new Minnesota poll shows Kamala Harris with an edge. Coming up Friday at noon, MPR News politics editor Brian Bakst talks with Minnesota journalists about the poll results.