>> ERIC: ANOTHER ELECTION SEASON TRADITION, SELECTING COMPETITIVE LEGISLATIVE CONTESTS THAT COULD DECIDE CONTROL AT THE CAPITOL.

OUR LONGTIME POLITICAL REPORTER MARY LAHAMMER HAS HER FIRST "RACE TO WATCH" OF 2026 WITH NO INCUMBENT AND TRULY INDEPENDENT VOTERS.

>> Mary: THE AREA'S MANY LAKES ARE THE PERFECT PLACE TO TAKE REFUGE FROM THE SUMMER HEAT IN THIS RACE TO WATCH, IN HOUSE DISTRICT 36A, IN SUBURBAN NORTH METRO, AN OPEN SEAT THAT HAD BEEN HELD BY REPUBLICAN REPRESENTATIVE ELLIOTT ENGEN, WHO WAS SEEKING STATEWIDE OFFICE FOR AUDITOR, BUT A HIGH-PROFILE DUI ARREST DURING THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION AFFECTED WHAT WAS PROMISING POLITICAL CAREER.

>> HI.

I'M SEBASTIAN STAWS, I'M RUNNING FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE HERE IN THIS AREA.

>> OH, NICE TO MEET YOU.

>> I'M 23 YEARS OLD.

THIS DISTRICT DOES HAVE A PRECEDENT FOR ELECTING YOUNGER REPRESENTATIVES.

ELLIOTT ENGEN IS STILL I BELIEVE THE YOUNGEST MEMBER OF THE MINNESOTA TATE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

I THINK THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE WANT.

I THINK PEOPLE WANT NEW LEADERS IN STALL ST.

PAUL.

PEOPLE ARE TIRED OF CORRUPT CAREER POLL TISSUE EVERYBODIES AND LOBBYISTS.

I'M NOT EL YONT ENGEN AND I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT.

BUT OF COURSE I WISH HIM WELL ON HIS FUTURE ENDEAVORS.

>> I LIKE SEEING YOUNGER PEOPLE RUNNING FOR OFFICE.

>> Mary: THE YOUNG REPUBLICAN RUNNING IS A LIFELONG MINNESOTAN, SERVING AS A LEGISLATIVE TAFFER WHO WEPT TO RAMSEY COUNTY TO FORCE COMMISSIONERS TO ADDRESS MILLIONS IN PROPERTY TAXES SPENT WITHOUT AUDITS.

>> I'M SURE THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD THAT MANY OF THESE GROUPS DO.

BUT THEY SHOULD NOT BE TAKING MONEY FROM PROPERTY TAX DEPARTMENTS.

>> HI, JIM DEMAY, CAN I BOTHER YOU FOR A MINUTE?

>> Mary: THE ESTABLISHED DEMOCRAT HAS BEEN ACTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY WITH YOUTH HOCKEY AND SOCCER ALONG WITH SERVING ON THE SCHOOL BOARD WHERE HE SAYS HE CHAMPIONED COLLEGE CREDIT OPPORTUNITIES, SAVING FAMILIES MILLIONS IN TUITION COSTS.

>> WHEN I RUN FOR SCHOOL BOARD, THE CONVERSATION IS VERY FOCUSED ON SCHOOLS.

WHEN YOU GET TO THE DOOR ERE, I USUALLY TALK TO FOLKS ABOUT WHO I AM AND ASK THEM WHAT THEIR PRIORITIES ARE, AND THEN I TELL THEM THAT I'M A DEMOCRAT AND HERE ARE SOME OF MY IDEAS BUT YOU GET SOME REACTIONS, BOTH POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE WHEN YOU REVEAL YOUR POLITICAL PARTY.

>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK ON THE SCHOOL BOARD.

BUT I AM REALLY CONCERNED.

>> WHAT WE'RE LOOKING IS PROBABLY A CLOSE LEGISLATURE AGAIN.

I DON'T SEE ANY BIG WAVE OUT THERE.

AT ALL, YOU KNOW, FOLKS ARE WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO TO HELP THE COMMUNITY AND WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO TO HELP THEIR FAMILIES.

AND I GOT TO TELL YOU, ESPECIALLY WITH INDEPENDENTS THEY'RE LOOKING FOR MORE BIPARTISANSHIP.

THEY DON'T LIKE THE TONE, THEY DON'T LIKE THE ARGUMENTATIVE.

THEY DON'T LIKE THE POLITICAL GRAND-STANDING AND THE SPEECHES.

>> Mary: THIS NORTH METRO HOUSE SEAT WAS CLOSE.

IT CAME DOWN TO ABOUT 600 VOTES WHICH WAS 2.8 PERCENTAGE POINTS APART, AND THIS TIME, THE INCUMBENT REPUBLICAN IS NOT RUNNING, SO DEMOCRATS THINK THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY.

>> THESE LITTLE ONES ARE SO IMPORTANT FOR US.

>> Mary: DEMAY WAS A PROFESSOR OF BUSINESS, SO HE GETS THE ECONOMIC ISSUES ESPECIALLY AFFORDABILITY PROBLEMS AMILIES ARE FACING.

>> PEOPLE ARE WORRIED ABOUT THE COST OF THINGS FROM THEIR PROPERTY TAXES TO THEIR HOME INSURANCE, TO THEIR HEALTH INSURANCE.

TO THEIR CHILD CARE FOR THEIR KIDS.

IT'S A LOT OF TALK BOUT BIG TICKET ITEMS.

YOU KNOW, YEAH NOBODY WANTS TO PAY $4 FOR GAS, NOBODY WANTS TO PAY $7 FOR A SLAB OF BACON, BUT A LOT OF OUR DISCUSSIONS ARE BIG TICKET THINGS.

I PAY $1,500 A MONTH FOR INSURANCE AND IT DOESN'T COVER ANYTHING.

MY HOMEOWNER'S INSURANCE HAS DOUBLED.

MY PROPERTY TAX WENT UP 15% NEXT YEAR.

>> I'M JUST FOCUSED ON TATE ISSUES IN THE STATE LEGISLATOR.

>> Mary: STOSS CALLS HIMSELF A NEXT GENERATION CANDIDATE READY TO TACKLE THE ISSUE OF FRAUD IN STATE GOVERNMENT IN PARTICULAR.

>> PEOPLE HAVE SEEN WHERE D.F.L.

LEADERSHIP HAS TAKEN MINNESOTA.

WE'VE SEEN UNPRECEDENTED LEVELS OF FRAUD.

HALF OF ALL MINNESOTA STUDENTS CANNOT READ AT GRADE LEVEL.

I JUST READ A STUDY THAT SAID WE WENT FROM SIXTH PLACE IN EDUCATION TO 19TH IN LESS THAN TEN YEARS.

I THINK PEOPLE KNOW WHAT D.F.L.

LEADERSHIP IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE BECAUSE WE JUST CAME OUT OF THE DFL TRIFECTA IN HE PREVIOUS TERM AND NOW WE HAVE A DIVIDED GOVERNMENT, ESPECIALLY A DIVIDED TATE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, I THINK PEOPLE KIND OF KNOW WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO GET WITH, YOU KNOW, D.F.L.

LEADERSHIP.

AND MY MESSAGE IS, I WANT TO SHOW PEOPLE WHAT NEW LEADERSHIP CAN PROVIDE, WHAT I CAN DO.

>> Mary: THEY UNDERSTAND AND EMBRACE THE INDEPENDENCE AND COMPETITIVE NATURE OF THIS SWING DISTRICT THAT COULD END UP EITHER WAY ONCE THE WEATHER TURNS COOLER AND THE NOVEMBER GENERAL ELECTION EVENTUALLY ARRIVES.

BUT BEFORE THAT, THERE'S MORE DOORS TO KNOCK, SINCE EACH STOP COULD MAKE THE DIFFERENCE.

>> I DON'T THINK MOST PEOPLE KNOW THEY LIVE IN A SWING DISTRICT OUT HERE, EXCEPT I DO TALK TO A TON OF INDEPENDENTS.

INDEPENDENTS ARE THE MAJORITY OF FOLKS IN THIS DISTRICT.

THERE'S MORE NDEPENDENTS THAN THERE ARE DEMOCRATS OR REPUBLICANS AND THAT'S WHY THIS IS ONE THE GREAT SWING DISTRICTS IN THE STATE.

>> THAT'S RIGHT, POLITICAL SEASON.

>> IT IS.

>> I'M JUST FOCUSED ON WORKING AS HARD AS I POSSIBLY CAN SO THAT, YOU KNOW, AT THE END OF THE DAY, I CAN SAY I WORKED AS HARD AS POSSIBLE AND I CAN HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO REGRETS ON ELECTION NIGHT.

>> YOU