Becky Scherr and Michael Brodkorb sit down with former Minnesota Rep. Dennis Smith, now chair of the Republican Party of Minnesota’s Elephant Club. Smith reflects on his legislative record working across the aisle, a brief run for attorney general, and what it takes to build a Republican Party capable of winning statewide again.
Smith breaks down the Elephant Club’s donor events, what he’s hearing from Republican contributors, and why he believes the GOP needs a broader tent to compete in Minnesota. He also walks through his candidate-driven Zoom forums featuring five GOP gubernatorial hopefuls, the concerns he hears most from voters: the economy, fraud, and electability. His advice to delegates: do your homework and stay engaged well beyond convention.
Then Becky and Michael react to Governor Tim Walz’s final State of the State address. They break down how Walz framed it as a legacy speech, hitting childcare, cost of living, freedoms, and fraud, and what it signals about how he wants to be remembered.
Next, they dig into FBI raids at 22 Minnesota locations tied to alleged public program fraud and the political fight over who deserves credit for the operation.
They close on a sobering note: the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, the growing threat of political violence, and what it means for the people willing to serve in public life.
- 00:00 — Introduction & Episode Highlights Overview of the episode, guest preview, and what’s ahead.
- 01:10 — Meet Dennis Smith: Introduction to former Minnesota Rep. Dennis Smith, his legislative record of working across the aisle, his run for attorney general, and his role leading the Republican Party of Minnesota’s Elephant Club.
- 03:30 — Building a Broader Republican Tent: Smith breaks down the Elephant Club’s mission, donor sentiment, and why Minnesota Republicans need a bigger tent to win statewide.
- 08:31 — Gubernatorial Zoom Forums and Voter Concerns: Smith walks through his candidate-driven forums featuring five GOP gubernatorial hopefuls, the top concerns he hears from voters: economy, fraud, and electability, and his advice for delegates heading into convention.
- 27:55 — Interview Reaction & Gov. Walz’s Final State of the State: Becky and Michael respond to the interview, then break down Governor Walz’s final State of the State address and what it reveals about the legacy he’s trying to build.
- 48:11 — FBI Fraud Raids and the Fight Over Credit: A deep dive into FBI raids at 22 Minnesota locations tied to alleged public program fraud and the political dispute over who deserves credit for the operation.
- 54:54 — The White House Correspondents’ Dinner Shooting: A breakdown of the security incident in Washington, the failures it exposed, and what it means for those in public life.
- 01:08:21 — Political Violence, Public Service, and Closing Thoughts: A sobering conversation about the growing threat of political violence in Minnesota and across the country, and what it means for the people willing to serve.
- The Break Down with Brodkorb and Becky will return with a new episode next week!
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