GOTTA WORK ON IT.

>> Eric: -- TO MITCHELL HAMLINE.

>> GLAD TO BE HERE.

THANK YOU.

>> ERIC: IN THIS WEEK'S RACE TO WATCH, MARY LAHAMMER HEADED EAST TO THE LAKE ELMO-AFTON AREA WHERE SHE CAUGHT UP WITH THE TWO CANDIDATES VYING FOR AN OPEN HOUSE SEAT.

THEY HAVE LOTS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT EXPERIENCE LOOKING TO MOVE UP TO THE STATE CAPITOL.

>> Mary: A LAKE ELMO RESTAURANT THAT'S NOT SHY ABOUT ITS POLITICS IS THE PLACE WHERE THIS REPUBLICAN IS TRYING TO RETAIN HOUSE SEAT 41A FOR HIS PARTY.

>> HI.

I'M WAYNE JOHNSON, I'M RUNNING FOR MINNESOTA HOUSE.

WASHINGTON COUNTY AND SPECIFICALLY MY DISTRICT IS PURPLE.

MARK ONLY ON BY 120 VOTES.

WE'RE PROBABLY EVEN MORE PURPLE NOW.

SO IT'S REALLY GOING TO BE ABOUT CONNECTING WITH THE VOTERS THAT WANT TO WORK WITH BOTH SIDES, WANT TO GET SOMETHING DONE.

>> Mary: SO DO YOU THINK IT COULD BE EVEN CLOSER?

I MEAN, COULD THIS BE LESS THAN 100 VOTES THIS IME?

>> I WOULD NOT BE URPRISED.

>> I'M LUCIA WROBLEWSKI, I'M RUNNING FOR STATE HOUSE.

>> Mary: AT A SCANDINAVIAN HOUSE IN AFTON -- CAFÉ IN AFTON, THE CANDIDATES AND HER SUPPORTERS KNOW AN OPEN SEAT IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO FLIP A DISTRICT.

>> FEELS LIKE EVERY ELECTION SINCE 2016 IS HE MOST IMPORTANT ELECTION OF OUR LIFETIME.

AND IT REALLY IS.

>> Mary: HOW DOES IT MAKE YOU FEEL KNOWING CONTROL OF THE ENTIRE HOUSE, I MEAN, STATE GOVERNMENT COULD FALL IN A RACE LIKE THIS?

>> OH, IT'S A REALLY SERIOUS RESPONSIBILITY.

IT'S BEEN ALL REPUBLICAN HERE FOR THE LAST 30 YEARS.

AND I FEEL LIKE THAT WORKING PROCESS ISN'T WORKING.

FLIPPING A SEAT -- FLIPPING THE SEAT WILL BE A BIG DISTRICT FOR OUR RESIDENTS AND FOR THE ESIDENTS OF MINNESOTA.

>> Mary: THE REPUBLICAN HAS APPEARED ON LOCAL BALLOTS BEFORE, WINNING SEATS ON CITY COUNCIL AND COUNTY BOARD.

>> GOING DOWN TO THE CAPITOL, KIND OF HELPING TO START WORK TOGETHER, START TALKING TO EACH OTHER DOWN THERE.

IT'S A NONPARTISAN ROLE.

SO IT NEVER GOT BROUGHT UP, OH, THIS IS THIS SIDE, THIS IS THAT SIDE, YOU'RE WORKING FOR THE COMMUNITY.

WE UNDERSTOOD WHAT'S GOOD FOR THE WHOLE COUNTY IS GOOD FOR OUR DISTRICT.

I KNOW WITH MY EXPERIENCE OF BIPARTISANSHIP, AND THEN ALSO I'VE BEEN DOWN THERE, TESTIFYING, AND I'VE ALSO BEEN TO D.C., SO I KNOW HOW TO WORK WITH BOTH SIDES.

>> I THINK WE'VE BEEN UNDERREPRESENTED HERE.

>> Mary: THE DEMOCRAT WAS A St. PAUL POLICE OFFICER FOR DECADES BUSINESS AND ALSO HAS EXPERIENCE SERVING IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT ON CITY COUNCIL AND A PLANNING BOARD.

>> I WON IN WHAT PEOPLE TERM A LAND SLIDE.

AND THEN I RAN UNOPPOSED IN THE MOST CONSERVATIVE WARD IN OUR CITY.

PEOPLE LIKE THE WORK I DO.

I REALLY CARE ABOUT THE RESIDENTS, LIKE I DID THE RESIDENTS OF St. PAUL.

DOING THAT KIND OF PUBLIC SERVICE AND DEALING WITH CONSTITUENTS AND DEALING WITH ALL THE ISSUES IN THE BUDGET, AND ALL THE ISSUES THAT COME UP IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT, IT'S AN AMAZING PROCESS, AND THERE'S -- THERE IS A LEARNING CURVE.

>> Mary: NOT ONLY WAS THE LAST GENERAL ELECTION HERE DECIDED BY JUST OVER 100 VOTES, BUT THE REPUBLICAN PRIMARY ONE MONTH GO WAS EQUALLY AS CLOSE.

>> IT TOOK A LOT OF WORK, MORE WORK THAN I PROBABLY HAVE EVER DONE IN ANY OF MY OTHER RACES.

THEY SAW ME MORE AS A MODERATE, MORE AS A WORKING WITH BOTH SIDES.

>> Mary: NOT A LOT OF MODERATES ARE WINNING PRIMARIES RIGHT NOW, THOUGH, ARE THEY?

>> NO, THEY'RE NOT.

THAT'S WHAT WAS AMAZING.

>> Mary: THE MIDDLE IS UNUSUAL TERRITORY IN POLITICS THESE DAYS.

SOMETHING BOTH CANDIDATES ARE SEEKING HERE.

YOU BOTH SAY YOU WANT TO WORK ACROSS THE AISLE, YOU WANT TO USE YOUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT EXPERIENCE.

HOW ARE YOU DIFFERENT?

>> WELL, I'M DIFFERENT BECAUSE I HAVE WORKED ACROSS THE AISLE, AND NOT JUST TALKED ABOUT IT.

I MEAN, SOMEBODY HAS A TRUMP SIGN AND MY SIGN ON THEIR PROPERTY.

I MEAN, WHAT DOES THAT SAY?

I REALLY WILL WORK FOR EVERYBODY HERE.

>> HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT THE ELECTION COMING UP?

>> OH, YEAH.

>> HAVE YOU?

DO YOU NORMALLY GO REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRAT?

>> I DON'T HAVE A -- INDEPENDENT.

>> Mary: THE DISTRICT IS GROWING AND GETTING EVEN MORE COMPETITIVE, A 10 OR 20-POINT MARGIN WOULDN'T SURPRISE PEOPLE.

>> YOU KNOW, IT ACTUALLY MAKES ME WORK HARDER, IT MAKES ME WANT TO KNOCK THE EXTRA DOOR, TALKING TO BOTH SIDES.

I THINK THE BEST ADVICE WAS GIVEN TO ME BEFORE, ALWAYS ASSUME YOU'RE BEHIND.

>> SOCIAL JUSTICE.

>> OH, MY GOD.

>> YEAH.

>> SO, I'M ALL OVER IT.

>> YEAH.

>> YEAH.

THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Mary: THE CHARMING, QUIRKY RIVER TOWNS AND STUNNING St. CROIX ARE WORTH PROTECTING FOR THIS DEMOCRAT.

>> WE HAVE A SCENIC PROTECTED RIVER, THE ST. CROIX RIVER.

>> Mary: WHAT ELSE ARE YOU HEARING, OTHER TOP ISSUES?

>> WELL, ECONOMY IS HUGE.

WE HAVE THIS BOOMING ECONOMY, THEY SAY.

BUT IT HASN'T HIT THE WORKING AND MIDDLE CLASS.

THE OTHER THING I'LL JUST TELL YOU IS I HAVE -- WE DO HEAR ABOUT THE WOMEN'S RIGHT TO MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT THEIR OWN BODIES.

AT THE DOORS.

IT IS IMPORTANT.

>> HAVE YOU DECIDED WHICH DIRECTION YOU'D LIKE TO GO?

>> ALWAYS CONSERVATIVE.

>> OH, BLESS YOU.

>> FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY WOULD BE A GOAL.

>> WHEN YOU GO TO THE DOORS, YOU KNOW, THEY USUALLY HAVE, WHAT, 30% ON ONE SIDE, 30% ON THE OTHER.

AND THEN YOU HAVE THE 40% IN THE MIDDLE.

WHEN I'M GOING UP TO THE DOOR, AND THEY'RE SAYING, I'M TIRED OF ALL THE EXTREMISM AND NOBODY WORKING TOGETHER, AND I SAY, WELL, I CAME FROM A BIPARTISAN OR A NONPARTISAN ROLE, AND I'M USED TO WORKING, OH, THANK YOU, WE NEED YOU DOWN THERE.

SO I'M GOING DOWN THERE WITH THAT BECAUSE I GET FRUSTRATED TOO.

>> WELL, YOU CAN COUNT ON A COUPLE OF VOTES HERE.

>> IT'S JOBS AND HOUSING.

AND OUT HERE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IS A BIG DEAL BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE IT.

>> WE DON'T HAVE ANY.

>> I WOULD SAY THE MAJORITY OF THEM CALL THEMSELVES INDEPENDENT, WHETHER THEY'RE DEMOCRATS OR REPUBLICANS.

AND THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT I REALLY WANT TO TALK TO.

>> Mary: WHAT ABOUT THE BACKGROUND IN PUBLIC SAFETY, THAT'S BEEN A HARD ISSUE FOR DEMOCRATS.

HOW DOES THAT HELP YOU IN A DISTRICT LIKE HIS?

>> I DON'T BUY THAT DEMOCRATS ARE FOR DEFUNDING THE POLICE.

YOU KNOW, ONE OR A COUPLE OF PEOPLE SAY THAT.

I THINK THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN TAMPED DOWN RIGHT AWAY.

BUT PUBLIC SAFETY IS MY LIFE.

>> THANKS, LUCIA.