At Issue: Feb. 6 — Legislative session begins; one-on-one with Gov. Tim Walz

The 2022 legislative session is now underway, and lawmakers’ biggest hurdle this year is coming to an agreement on how to spend the state’s projected $7.7 billion budget surplus. Democrats want billions in new spending, while Republicans are looking for billions in tax cuts.

Meanwhile, new KSTP/SurveyUSA polls show Minnesotans’ approval rating of how Gov. Tim Walz’s has handled the pandemic has dropped below 50%, but the incumbent still leads in head-to-head matchups with six Republicans running to unseat him. Those leads are tightening, however.

Gov. Walz joins the show for a one-on-one interview to discuss the survey results and what should happen with that budget surplus.