Over 130 MinnPost members and readers gathered Wednesday evening at Elsie’s in northeast Minneapolis for a recap of the 2018 Minnesota legislative session with MinnPost reporter Peter Callaghan and MPR reporter Briana Bierschbach.
Much of the conversation focused on the lack of accomplishments from the session, the constitutionality of putting so much legislation in a large omnibus budget bill, and how the fallout will resonate with Minnesota voters in this fall’s midterm elections.
The current partisan environment was raised as a cause for the gridlock, restricting the ability of elected officials to compromise across party lines without retribution from their respective bases. Bierschbach and Callaghan also discussed how gubernatorial candidatees will navigate those dynamics as they seek party nominations and look ahead to the general election.
The event was moderated by MinnPost editor Andy Putz. It was the final installment of the 2017-18 MinnPost Social series, sponsored by RBC Wealth Management, in which MinnPost journalists share their insights with the public. The events are free for MinnPost members and $10 for nonmembers.
