Essential Minnesota

Voters elected another Democratic trifecta full of moderate to progressive lawmakers. Star Tribune politics editor Brooks Johnson and data journalist  C.J. Sinner unpack the results, and sketch a picture of what comes next. See all the Midterm Election coverage from the Minnesota Star Tribune here: https://www.startribune.com/live-minnesota-election-results-2026-midterm-governor-senate-house-legislature/601884984 More about Brooks Johnson here: https://www.startribune.com/author/brooks-johnson/6134711\ More about C.J. Sinner here: https://www.startribune.com/author/cj-sinner/6370420

Flock cameras have been criticized, vandalized and removed from streets across the state. Reporters Allison Kite and Sarah Ritter investigate the data breaches that Flock Safety allowed during Operation Metro Surge, and they detail the push among some to bring their cameras back to a street near you. More about journalist Sarah Ritter here: https://www.startribune.com/author/sarah-ritter/601166266 More about journalist Allison Kite here: https://www.startribune.com/author/allison-kite/601231911 More on Sarah and Allison's investigation here: https://www.startribune.com/police-search-immigration-twin-cities-flock-license-plate-cameras-ice-dhs-metro-surge/601807825?utm_source=gift More on Sheriffs' plans to add Flock cameras here: https://www.startribune.com/twin-cities-suburbs-flock-cameras-sheriff/601903589?utm_source=gift

Two reporters head into the north woods to track the family of cougars first sited last spring and to answer big questions about what the potential return of these big cats means for all Minnesotans – human and otherwise. Reporter Greg Stanley: https://www.startribune.com/author/greg-stanley/6370510 Photojournalist Anthony Soufflé: https://www.startribune.com/author/anthony-souffle/600335199 More on Tom Gable and the Voyagers Wolf Project: https://www.voyageurswolfproject.org More on cougars in Minnesota here: https://www.startribune.com/photos-meet-the-wildlife-science-centers-cute-new-residents/601901754 And here: https://www.startribune.com/cougar-kittens-caught-on-camera-in-northern-minnesota/601827627 And here: https://www.startribune.com/mn-wildlife-conservation-midwest-mountain-lion-sightings/601849133

Many of us see political dialogue becoming more vicious and data shows there's an increase in violent threats against elected officials. But that data is cobbled together and incomplete. Three reporters try to create a system that gives a full picture of what public officials in Minnesota are facing.

U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar is in the studio talking about her life and what she wants to do if she becomes the state’s next Governor. This is part of a special series of conversations with candidates from Minnesota running for statewide office in the midterm elections. We also talked to the Republican candidate in the race, Lis Demuth. You can find that episode in our feed. Guest Host: Briana Bierschbach, Senior Politics Writer at the Minnesota Star Tribune. More about Briana here: https://www.startribune.com/author/briana-bierschbach/6370434 Guest: Democratic candidate for Minnesota Governor and current U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar For more, subscribe to the Hot Dish newsletter from the Minnesota Star Tribune. It brings the latest political news to your inbox on Mondays and Thursdays.  Subscribe here: https://www.startribune.com/newsletters