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Politics Friday

Minnesota Public Radio
Minnesota
Donald Trump
Minnesota Legislature
Tim Walz
Kamala Harris
Minnesota Elections
Republican Party
Housing
Joe Biden
Economy
Election Day
Immigration
Ken Martin
Governor Tim Walz
Democratic Party
Abortion
Steve Simon
Minnesota Cannabis Market
Bipartisanship
Minnesota House Of Representatives

Weekly updates from Brian Bakst and the Minnesota Public Radio newsroom staff covering politics in Minnesota.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes30Founded20 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Government

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Artwork for Politics Friday

Latest Episodes

DFL U.S. Senate hopefuls U.S. Rep. Angie Craig and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan met for a live debate Monday on MPR News.

Senate debate

www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDYHGPRp1E8

With about two weeks left until the primary election on Aug. 11, Flanagan... more

Thousands of the most politically involved Minnesotans are trading a leisurely spring weekend for the rough-and-tumble of indoor state party conventions.

They're weighing who they want to carry party banners in races for governor, U.S. Senate and m... more

Minnesota lawmakers have headed home for the year. The Legislature adjourned earlier this week after enacting some priorities and setting others to the side.

Some bills still await action by Gov. Tim Walz. Barring a special session, these will be t... more

Minnesota lawmakers are filling in the details of a legislative budget agreement struck this week and will have to hustle to pass the bills needed to enact it.

If they do, Minnesotans will see reductions in their vehicle registration, help with risi... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Trina Swanson
Endorsed DFL candidate for Minnesota's 8th district
DFL
Episode: Politics Friday Special: Democrats and Republicans convene for their party conventions
Amy Klobuchar
United States Senator and DFL candidate for Minnesota Governor
U.S. Senate, DFL Minnesota
Episode: Politics Friday: Amy Klobuchar lays out plans in her DFL governor's campaign
Alanna Elder
MPR News producer reporting on Clemency Review Commission
MPR News
Episode: Politics Friday: Taking stock of Minnesota's session, campaign as May decision points near
J. Patrick Coolican
Political journalist, editor-in-chief of Minnesota Reformer
Minnesota Reformer
Episode: Politics Friday: Taking stock of Minnesota's session, campaign as May decision points near
Walker Orenstein
Politics journalist, Star Tribune
Star Tribune
Episode: Politics Friday: Taking stock of Minnesota's session, campaign as May decision points near
Michele Tafoya
Republican candidate for US Senate in Minnesota
Republican candidate for U.S. Senate (Minnesota)
Episode: Will Michele Tafoya's public profile transfer to politics?
Keith Ellison
Attorney General of Minnesota
Minnesota Attorney General's Office
Episode: Keeping up with the legal jousting between state, federal governments
Harry Niska
Republican House floor leader
Minnesota House Republican Caucus
Episode: High tensions at the Capitol as lawmakers tick down the to-do list
Jamie Long
DFL House floor leader
Minnesota House DFL
Episode: High tensions at the Capitol as lawmakers tick down the to-do list

Hosts

Brian Bakst
Host of Politics Friday
Kathy Wurzer
Interviewer in interview segment with Colin Hortman

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 46 ratings
  • Great source of local political news; balanced and informative. Would recommend.

    Podcast Addict
    cptcanuck15
    3 years ago
  • Great source of local news

    This is a great way of staying knowledgeable about local news

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Goranger22
    United States10 years ago
  • Martin Sabo

    Thank you for including the Martin Sabo interview in Friday's show

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    tripj1972
    United States10 years ago
  • Informative

    It's incredibly informative. And balanced.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    iloveflynn
    United States15 years ago
  • Informative

    All of the news you need to know what is REALLY going on in local and national news. The stuff balinda skims past.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    art_freak1234356
    United States18 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Polished, credible local political coverage.
Balanced perspectives across parties.
Strong reporting from the capitol with practical policy context.
Valuable for understanding Minnesota politics, though at times dense for casual listeners.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#111
United States/Government
Apple Podcasts
#177
Japan/Government

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Craig, Flanagan meet for final debate before primary
Q: What is your stance on the Social Security solvency and potential changes to the retirement system?
Craig supports extending Social Security without raising taxes on existing beneficiaries and endorses measures to preserve the fund while debating solvency.
Craig, Flanagan meet for final debate before primary
Q: Representative Craig, hands on, hands off, which is the right one?
Craig argues for a balanced, active approach to regulating AI to protect workers and the economy.
Politics Friday: Hunt for 2026 ballot spots is on with governor, U.S. Senate as marquee races
Q: What distinguishes you from other candidates in your party for the Senate race?
I've fought for bipartisan solutions and brought about concrete policy wins; I aim to bring a fresh perspective and a broader coalition to address Minnesota's needs.
Politics Friday: Hunt for 2026 ballot spots is on with governor, U.S. Senate as marquee races
Q: Do you expect Minnesota to be on the map next year with this race or will it be less attention?
It will depend on the Republican candidate and the openness of voters; the race could be a high-profile, multi-year contest potentially reaching tens of millions in spending.
Politics Friday: Hunt for 2026 ballot spots is on with governor, U.S. Senate as marquee races
Q: Are you in this race to a primary no matter what?
I'm going to seek the DFL endorsement, but I'm also prepared to go to the primary if needed so voters have a clear choice and the process remains open and competitive.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
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Frequently Asked Questions About Politics Friday

What is Politics Friday about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This program delivers timely updates on Minnesota politics with a newsroom-backed perspective. Episodes frequently feature live reporting from the state capitol, interviews with lawmakers and campaign figures, and deep dives into policy debates spanning budgeting, taxation, health care, and elections. A recurring strength is balancing party dynamics with practical implications for residents, often including on-the-ground vox pops, rapid reactions from the floor, and in-depth context from reporters. It's particularly notable for live, multi-angle coverage during high-stakes moments like endorsements, budget deals, and session endgames, making it useful for listeners who want an informed, statewide view on political developments.

Where can I find podcast stats for Politics Friday?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Politics Friday. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Politics Friday and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Politics Friday get?

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What are the audience demographics for Politics Friday?

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How many subscribers and views does Politics Friday have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Politics Friday has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Politics Friday?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Politics Friday:

1. Minnesota Today
2. MPR News with Angela Davis
3. Political Gabfest
4. The Daily
5. 1A

How many episodes of Politics Friday are there?

Politics Friday launched 20 years ago and published 30 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Politics Friday?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Politics Friday?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Politics Friday from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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What guests have appeared on Politics Friday?

Recent guests on Politics Friday include:

1. Trina Swanson
2. Amy Klobuchar
3. Alanna Elder
4. J. Patrick Coolican
5. Walker Orenstein
6. Michele Tafoya
7. Keith Ellison
8. Harry Niska

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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