Brian Bakst
Political Reporter at Minnesota Public Radio (St. Paul, MN)
"A top political reporter" at @mprnews (according to legal filings), formerly @ap.
Articles
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2 weeks ago |
mprnews.org | Brian Bakst |Matthew Alvarez
The Legislature’s spring recess is approaching and with about six weeks left in the session, many issues still unresolved. Housing is top of mind for many Minnesotans and lawmakers at the Capitol — whether to rewrite zoning standards statewide to encourage construction of more low-to-moderate cost housing. The issue has created some cross-party alliances, but the bills in front of lawmakers haven’t satisfied all who have a stake in the decisions.
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3 weeks ago |
mprnews.org | Brian Bakst |Matthew Alvarez
MPR News politics editor Brian Bakst gets the lowdown on the negotiations that have begun over the new state budget. Erin Campbell, commissioner of Minnesota Management and Budget, discusses why Gov. Tim Walz shaped his proposal as he did. And we’ll talk about the high-level negotiations that have commenced to reach a deal prior to the May 19 adjournment. Later, the DFL Party has its first new chair in more than a decade.
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4 weeks ago |
mprnews.org | Brian Bakst |Matthew Alvarez
After an unusual start, the 2025 legislative session has passed the halfway mark and the budget grind is quickly closing in. The Senate is narrowly in DFL control by one seat and the House is at a 67-67 tie. How will leaders navigate the tightest party divide in recent history? Friday at noon, MPR News will present a special broadcast of Politics Friday from the UBS Forum in St. Paul.
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1 month ago |
mprnews.org | Brian Bakst |Matthew Alvarez
Two of the biggest political stories of this week played out beyond Minnesota’s Capitol. The arrest of then-Sen. Justin Eichorn, R-Grand Rapids, in a teen prostitution sting led his resignation and the federal jury’s conviction of major players in the Feeding Our Future fraud scandal.
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1 month ago |
mprnews.org | Brian Bakst |Matthew Alvarez
Soon, Minnesota will join a dozen states across the country that provide some form of paid leave. The program that guarantees time off to bond with a child, to deal with a serious illness or care for a relative. A law passed in 2023 establishes a state-run program that gives people — no matter where they work — access to weeks off with partial pay. Friday at noon, MPR News politics editor Brian Bakst talks with Rep. Dave Baker, R-Willmar, and Rep.
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Sen. Tina Smith won’t seek reelection in 2026, putting Minnesota seat up for grabs #mnsen https://t.co/2ExnWEqgY9
Now what in Minnesota? Depends on Democratic ticket success and TIMING https://t.co/o1yPaeQ83r
It’s Walz https://t.co/sZctK25lPD
