The NARN Closer's playlist (Saturday edition) - 5/9/2026

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Too high or too low, there ain't no in-betweens................

My friend and Northern Alliance Radio Network colleague Mitch Berg and I are switching broadcasts this weekend, so I will be in the Patriot bunker today for the weekly airing of my radio show. The 2-hour blitz will get started at 1:00 PM Central Time. 

In the first hour, we'll discuss the latest in the 2026 midterm election cycle, specifically how the Democrat party has an extremism problem. I will also weigh in on the DFL-controlled Minnesota State Senate passing a major gun control bill. Will it get through a tied House? 

At 2:00, Miss Twin Cities 2026/journalism student/activist Anna Brennan will join the broadcast to discuss her testimony before a MN Senate Committee on legislation addressing kids' social media usage. 

Finally at 2:30, longtime friend of the broadcast Sen. Karin Housley (R-Stillwater) will check in with an end of session update. She will also discuss her recently announced reelection campaign. 

So please call (651) 289-4488 if you'd like to weigh in on any of the topics we plan on addressing.

 

You can listen live in the Twin Cities at AM 1280 or, if you're near downtown Minneapolis/West Metro area, 107.5 FM on your radio dial. In and out of the Minneapolis-St Paul area you can listen to the program on the Internet by clicking this link, or check us out via iheart radio as well as Amazon Alexa (just say "Alexa, play The Patriot Minneapolis"). If you're unable to tune in live, please check out my podcast page for the latest show post.

And if you're so inclined, follow along on Twitter at #NARNShow or "Like" our Facebook page, where we also conduct a "Live Stream" of the broadcast.

Until then.....

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Extremities

In midterm election cycles, trends typically favor the opposite party of the current U.S. President. And if said POTUS is in his second term, the wave can often resemble a proverbial tsunami. As I write this, President Donald Trump's approval ratings are cratering in almost every area, including what many deem his greatest strength -  border security (he's barely above water). 

All those factors would indicate that Democrats are a shoo-in to take control of the U.S. House (the Republicans have a razor-thin majority as it is) with a legit shot to seize the Senate (GOP has a 53-47 majority). With all those advantages, it would appear the Dems merely have to stay out of their own way the next six months for a "blue wave" to come to fruition. 

But as Josh Kraushaar notes, Democrats just may not be able to help themselves due to their extremism problem. 

Indeed, a new poll commissioned by The Argument magazine finds that the generic ballot shows Democrats have been stuck with a six-point lead for a while even as Trump’s job approval has declined precipitously in the last several months. They’re voting to put a check on the GOP’s dominance of Washington, without endorsing the direction of the Democratic party.

“Democrats still have tangible policy misalignments with many voters who dislike Trump,” The Argument concluded in its polling analysis.

All told, the question becomes: Will the anticipated Democratic wave closely resemble the Democrats’ version of the GOP Tea Party election of 2010? In that election, Republicans swept into power in the House but far-right and extreme Senate candidates in key races blew golden opportunities, costing Republicans the upper chamber.

That dynamic repeated itself in 2022, when many experts anticipated a Republican wave election, but the party’s nomination of hard-line MAGA candidates in battleground contests led to a marked underperformance.

The alternative outcome is that partisanship and tribalism now run so deeply that an individual candidate’s flaws — even seemingly disqualifying ones — don’t mean what they used to. Right now, Democratic primary voters look like they’re ignoring personal baggage in favor of candidates that are the most ideologically progressive, personally authentic and who are burning hot with rage against Trump and the leadership class.

Earlier this week, you had Massachusetts Congressman Barney Frank (from his death bed) warning his fellow Democrats about the consequences of lurching too far left. 

Not to be outdone, leftist CNN commentator Van Jones lamented the continued efforts to put moderate Democrats out to pasture. 

Van Jones on Democrats not supporting John Fetterman being a "moderate"

“That should not be illegal in this party. My god you have to agree on 100% of 100% of the Berkeley California agenda to be a Democrat?”

“It just shows you how nutty things have gotten that someone who… pic.twitter.com/52YPAht2SA

— Defiant L’s (@DefiantLs) May 6, 2026

There is this old mantra that if your opponent is making a mistake, just get outta their way. However, even if Dems put forth extreme left wing candidates in a handful of these Congressional races, there's a nonzero chance they still win in the general election due to anti-Trump sentiment reaching a fever pitch. That and the fact too many Trump supporters typically don't vote when Trump himself is not on the ballot makes the environment ripe for leftist kooks in swings states (i.e. Maine, Michigan and Minnesota) to be elected to the Senate. 

This once again underscores the left's utter hypocrisy as well as complete lack of standards: they decry constantly that Trump is fascist in nature yet have no issue with advancing candidates who are, at best, sympathetic to such tendencies. 

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Quick Hits: Volume CDX

- This kind of legislation will be ramped up if the DFL gets its trifecta back after the 2026 elections. 

The Democratic Farmer-Labor majority in the Minnesota Senate passed a gun control package Monday that includes a ban on so-called assault weapons and limits on magazine capacities.

Its passage comes after years of debate at the state Capitol and two high-profile tragedies last summer: the August shooting that left two dead at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis, and the shootings of two lawmakers and their spouses at their homes in June.

“Today the Senate has a choice to listen to students, to families, to communities across Minnesota, or continue the cycle of inaction,” said bill sponsor Sen. Zaynab Mohamed, DFL-Minneapolis. “Because honoring the lives we’ve lost means doing something different.”

For the first time, a bill to ban semi-automatic rifles with features like pistol grips and detachable magazines has passed a major floor vote in the state Legislature. But the prospects for any new gun control or school safety package remain as dim as ever in the closely-divided Capitol.

You'll notice the Senator quoted didn't indicate how this kind of legislation would have prevented the tragedy at Annunciation, or potentially any other spree killings. Merely that undermining gun rights is "honoring the lives we lost." And because the 67 GOP members of the House will likely stay unified and reject this legislation, it won't ever reach the desk of Gov. Tim Walz. 

The DFL is betting that "gun control" is a salient issue this cycle and thus will attempt to demagogue the Republicans' refusal to go along as proof they care more for guns than children's lives. As usual, it's all symbolism and no substance for the progs. 

- Just gonna leave this here. 

NYT's @NickKristof to fellow progressives: "A black kid in Mississippi is 2.5 times as likely to be proficient in math & reading by 4th grade as a black kid in Calif. Do we need to look a little bit less at what the Trump Admin is doing ... & look a little more in the mirror?" pic.twitter.com/I803loucRM

— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) May 5, 2026

While I applaud Mr. Kristof's request that his fellow leftists remove the blinders, the fact of the matter is far too many of his ilk are flat out addicted to blaming President Trump for all their ills. Sadly, looking in the mirror requires a conscience. 

- I was heartened to see this. 

Former #Ravens All-Pro RB Ray Rice returned to Rutgers to earn his degree and has now officially graduated. 🎓

(📸 @RFootball) pic.twitter.com/Ukhos0zdSZ

— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) May 5, 2026

When you hear the name Ray Rice, your first thought is likely not the dynamic Baltimore Ravens running back who amassed more than 9,000 all purpose yards in six NFL seasons and was instrumental in helping the Ravens win Super Bowl 47. No, like you, I immediately recount that awful night in February 2014 where Rice and this then fiancée (now wife) Janay got into a heated argument which culminated with Rice knocking her out cold while in an elevator in Atlantic City. That incident essentially cost him his NFL career as he never played another down in the league. Not surprisingly, the vast majority of replies to that tweet reference that awful incident 12+ years ago. 

If you're interested in how Rice is faring today, I would encourage to watch a recent episode of the YouTube series Press Box Chronicles with Jeff Pearlman. While the host, a former Sports Illustrated writer, doesn't sugarcoat Rice's domestic abuse incident, he shares the latest accounts of the former running back's life and how redemption is indeed possible. 

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Box Score of the Week

Detroit Tigers at Washington Nationals - July 22, 1947. 

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In this game, Detroit's Roy Cullenbine drew a walk for the 22nd consecutive game, which is an all-time MLB record. The Athletics' Nick Kurtz was threatening to break that record as he drew a walk in 20 straight games this season. However. Kurtz's streak came to an end this past Saturday. 

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The NARN Closer's playlist - 5/3/2026

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Detroit built brakes, so that they could make a Chevy slow down......

Welp....we're into the month of May already! It's a beautiful day in the Twin Cities today but, alas, I'll be in the Patriot bunker this afternoon for my radio show The Closer. The 2-hour festivities begin at 1:00 Central Time. 

In the first hour, I'll recap much of the reaction to the latest assassination attempt of President Donald Trump. While progs believe "rightwing rhetoric" foments violence, they deflect instances where their allies actually carry out deadly attacks. 

In the 2:00 hour, I'll discuss the latest shakeup in the GOP race for MN governor. 

At 2:30, the VP of Legal Affairs for Landmark Legal Foundation Mike O'Neill will join us to discuss the dubious history of the Southern Poverty Law Center. 

So please call (651) 289-4488 if you'd like to weigh in on any of the topics we plan on addressing.

 

You can listen live in the Twin Cities at AM 1280 or, if you're near downtown Minneapolis/West Metro area, 107.5 FM on your radio dial. In and out of the Minneapolis-St Paul area you can listen to the program on the Internet by clicking this link, or check us out via iheart radio as well as Amazon Alexa (just say "Alexa, play The Patriot Minneapolis"). If you're unable to tune in live, please check out my podcast page for the latest show post.

And if you're so inclined, follow along on Twitter at #NARNShow or "Like" our Facebook page, where we also conduct a "Live Stream" of the broadcast.

Until then.....

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Down to two

Minnesota State Rep. Kristin Robbins (R-Maple Grove) is exiting the race for governor. 

I got into this race last August to defeat Tim Walz. Minnesota could not take four more years of fraud, tax increases, and out-of-control government spending. His radical woke agenda is hurting our kids and making our communities less safe. Because of my leadership on the Fraud Prevention Committee, and with the help of our friends and partners, we exposed billions in fraud and forced Tim Walz to step aside. As Minnesotans realized the staggering scope of the fraud and expressed their growing frustration, Democrat Party leaders knew Tim Walz was an embarrassment and unceremoniously replaced him with Amy Klobuchar.

My pledge to Minnesotans was that I would fight the fraud, stop the woke insanity that is hurting our kids and our communities, and make Minnesota prosper by getting our state budget under control and cutting taxes and regulations to attract talent and investment to our state.

But as I returned to St. Paul for the 2026 legislative session, I realized that this race was about much more than fighting fraud or economic policies. The foundational issue is whether we can stop Minnesota’s slide into socialism. When I first began saying this, people laughed a little nervously – but this is not hyperbole. Many of the Democrats who are making decisions in St. Paul are part of a growing Democrat Socialists of America (DSA) party that is gaining traction from New York City to California.

Minnesota Democrats have already adopted much of the Socialists’ platform – and are clearly doubling down on their agenda. Only a coalition of sensible Republicans, Independents, and Democrats can stop them. However, too many Democrats want the government to control more of our lives and more sectors of the economy, crowding out the private sector in healthcare, education, childcare, and employment decisions.

Democrats have passed a number of socialist policies already: letting criminals out of jail early and closing Stillwater prison as part of their effort to end mass incarceration; driver’s licenses for illegal immigrants; “free” college; and an overall increased dependency on state and federal programs instead of enabling people to develop skills and determine their own destiny.

These policies are not operating in a vacuum – they make Minnesota uncompetitive and are driving people and investment out of our state in droves.

Minnesota faces a choice: we can be the next state to fall to socialism, OR we can be the firewall that stops the spread of this ideology that has caused millions around the world to suffer in the name of “equality.” Socialism creates a bifurcated society that allows the powerful to live in luxury on the fruits of corruption, insulated from the effects of their policies that keep the masses trapped in government-run housing, education, and healthcare.

The American Dream, in contrast, gives equal opportunity for upward mobility based on hard work and skills. No other society has achieved the levels of success, innovation, wealth, and generosity enabled by free people and free markets. We cannot let the American Dream be turned into a socialist nightmare, and I will continue do all I can to ensure that Minnesota does not go down the path of New York or California.

But I will be engaged in this fight for Minnesota as a State Representative and, come 2027, as a private citizen.

After much thought and prayer, I have decided to suspend my campaign for Governor of Minnesota.

It has become apparent that the establishment political class, media, and donors have anointed Amy Klobuchar, despite her refusal to engage meaningfully on the issues that matter most to Minnesotans.

Our state government and political system are broken, and after fighting for Minnesotans from the inside for the past eight years, I have determined that the best way for me to fight for the future of our state is from the outside. I believe more than ever that it’s going to take a grassroots coalition of common-sense Minnesotans to save our state. And that starts with our families, faith and communities, not government.

I am so grateful for the incredible opportunity I’ve had to go all around the state and meet so many amazing, inspiring, hard-working, patriotic Minnesotans. As a small-town girl from Crookston, I never dreamed I’d have the chance to run for the highest office in our beloved state. THANK YOU for sharing your dreams, frustrations, and hopes with me! Thank you for inspiring me to fight for greater freedom and opportunity for families, workers, students, and seniors, and to restore integrity in government and state programs.

It has been the honor of my life to fight alongside you and for you, and I will find new ways to stay engaged. Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty – and it is up to all of us, not just those who hold public office, to stand watch.

My heart is filled with gratitude for the wonderful Minnesotans I have met and everyone who has supported me over the past 10 months. I am also incredibly thankful for the amazing team of professionals, friends, and family who have worked so hard to give me the opportunity to run.

I hope we have helped people see that we are facing a decisive choice in our state’s history: Do we want to follow the false promises of socialism, or recommit ourselves to freedom, opportunity, and prosperity for all?

After spending 10 months driving all around our great state, I believe Minnesotans will make the right choice!

I look forward to continuing to serve the people of my wonderful House District 37A until January 2027, and I will continue to work hard for all of you every day. Thank you for the opportunity to serve. I look forward to finding new ways to serve and build with all of you!

Robbins declined to endorse any of the remaining GOP candidates in the race, despite there being approximately 5 or 6 still officially campaigning. But let's face it: the only viable candidates left standing are Kendall Qualls and current House Speaker Lisa Demuth. And since both have pledged to abide by the Republican Party of MN endorsement, the GOP's candidate for governor will be officially decided at the state convention later this month. Given how a Klobee campaign is an absolute juggernaut, it would behoove Republicans to have their candidate in place well ahead of the August primary. 

I remain skeptical that anyone can slow down the Klobuchar runaway train, but if there's even a scintilla of a possibility then firmly deciding on a GOP candidate at this point is a good start. 

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A tipping point?

In a warped way, I'm grateful the latest assassination attempt of President Donald Trump hasn't disappeared from the news cycle. I say that because we can never get to a place in our society where we become desensitized to such a thing. Heck, I remember the Butler, PA incident where Trump was actually nicked by a bullet. The press corps pretty much quit talking about it in literally less than a week. 

What is disheartening, however, is the political left's hesitance to point out the fact that political violence over the past decade or so in not a "both sides" issue. No, the fact of the matter is rather the majority of bullets have been flying from prog supporters/sympathizers. 

Quite frankly, the borderline rationalization of these events has disgusted me. Is the lust for power so addictive that leftists can't even disavow those who commit violence seemingly to benefit them politically? While I think that's a factor, there may be another component to leftist elected officials' reluctance to unconditionally condemn their violent supporters. 

Conservative commentator Erick Erickson breaks it down. 

The Democratic Party is having a Charlie Hebdo moment. pic.twitter.com/WjhwqLS0s7

— Erick Erickson (@EWErickson) April 29, 2026

I get that elected Democrats and Republicans are more divided now than possibly at any time in American history. But if there's ever an occasion where they need to unify, it would be in the face of fearing violent retribution for merely calling a spade a spade. There's no way forward in a culture that is unwilling to offer significant push back here. 

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