♪♪ >> Cathy: ON MONDAY LAWMAKERS WILL RETURN FOR A SPECIAL SESSION TO PASS A BUDGET AND AVOID A STATE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN.

MEANWHILE, GOVERNOR WALZ CONTINUES TO INCREASE HIS NATIONAL POLITICAL PROFILE.

REPORTER MARY LAHAMMER EXPLORES WHAT'S AHEAD.

[ CROWD CHANTING ] >> IMMIGRANTS WILL DIE, CHANTED PROTESTORS OUTSIDE THE GOVERNOR OFFICE WHO SAYS WALZ SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF THE ORIGINAL DEAL HE MADE WITH LEGISLATIVE LEADERS AT THE CAPITOL.

>> WE'RE HERE ENGAGING WITH THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE AND STATE LEGISLATORS TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO TURN OUR BACKS ON IMMIGRANTS.

>> A SITTING STATE REPRESENTATIVE ALSO SPOKE UP AGAINST THE AGREEMENT HER PARTY LEADER STRUCK AS THE REGULAR SESSION CAME TO A RAUCOUS CLOSE.

>> I HEARD FROM REMARKS ON THE "ALMANAC" BY OUR GOVERNOR, WHO WORKS IN THIS OFFICE HERE AND I DON'T WORK FOR HIM, I WORK FOR THE PEOPLE.

>> WALZ STATED HIS DISAPPROVAL OF LAWMAKERS SHOWING UP AT HIS OFFICE DURING THE DEAL ANNOUNCEMENT IN OUR INTERVIEW ON "ALMANAC AT THE CAPITOL."

>> I'VE NEVER SEEN LAWMAKERS PROTESTING A DEAL BETWEEN THEIR LEADERS.

>> YEAH.

YEAH.

>> THAT'S UNUSUAL.

>> NO, IT IS UNUSUAL AND LOOK IT'S A PASSIONATE ISSUE, MANY OF THESE WERE AND THIS WAS AN ISSUE AROUND HEALTH CARE.

BUT I WILL SAY THAT'S NOT THE WAY YOU APPROACH THIS AS LEGISLATORS.

THERE'S WAYS TO DO IT.

>> LEGISLATIVE LEADERS AND THE GOVERNOR BEHIND CLOSED DOOR NEGOTIATIONS RESULTED IN AN AGREEMENT FOR A SPECIAL SESSION TO BE HELD N MONDAY.

>> IT'S BEEN A LONG ROAD TO GET TO THIS POINT BUT YOU SEE LEADER HORTMAN AND MYSELF WE ARE HERE TOGETHER.

>> THIS IS A BUDGET THAT ANTICIPATES A DEFICIT IN THE OUT-YEARS.

AND SO ANY TIME YOU'RE PASSING A BUDGET THAT'S NOT JUST SPENDING A SURPLUS BUT IT IS IN FACT ANTICIPATING A DEFICIT IS GOING TO HAVE SOME HARD CHOICES.

>> THIS IS CHAOTIC, DEMOCRACY IS.

BUT AGAINST THE BACKDROP OF WHAT YOU SEE IN D.C.

THIS IS THE CONTRAST TOE THAT THAT DEMOCRATS, REPUBLICANS WORKING TOGETHER, FINDING COMPROMISES, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO AT TIMES YOU'RE GOING TO BE VOTING ON THINGS YOU DON'T NECESSARILY LIKE.

>> WHILE TALKS CONTINUE AT THE STATE CAPITOL, GOVERNOR WALZ WAS MAKING HIS CASE TO NATIONAL AUDIENCE, TRAVELING COAST TO COAST IN WEEKEND EVENTS.

>> GOOD MORNING, SOUTH CAROLINA!

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] >> IN THE KEY EARLY PRIMARY STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA, WALZ WORKED UP THE CROWD ATTACKING MEMBERS OF CONGRESS IN D.C. >> AND ALL BUT TWO REPUBLICANS VOTED FOR THIS BIG BEAUTIFUL PILE OF [ BLEEP ] >> THE GOVERNOR FROM MINNESOTA, HE'S A SICK PUPPY, THAT POOR GUY, I FEEL SORRY FOR HIM.

>> NATIONAL NEWS ANALYSTS ARE TAKING NOTICE.

>> THAT'S RIGHT, FOLKS.

TIM WALZ WANTS TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT IN 2028.

>> WE WOULD LOVE TO WELCOME MINNESOTA GOVERNOR TIM WALZ.

>> ON A NEW PODCAST WITH MINNESOTA NATIVE JOURNALIST OUSTED WITH JOHN TESTER, THE RURAL DEMOCRAT AND GOVERNOR WALZ BOTH MADE NEWS.

>> WHEN YOU WERE PART OF THE TICKET I THOUGHT THIS IS AN ASSET THAT IS GOING TO HELP KAMALA HARRIS IN THE PRESIDENCY.

I'M JUST GOING TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, I DON'T THINK HE USED YOU, ESPECIALLY IN THE END, I DON'T THINK SHE USED YOU.

THAT IS MY OPINION AND THAT'S WHAT I SAW.

AND I THINK THAT WAS A MASSIVE MISTAKE.

>> THOSE CAMPAIGNS ARE BIG, WE HAD 90 DAYS, STRATEGIC DECISIONS HAD TO BE MADE.

I TAKE PERSONALLY IT'S MY RESPONSIBILITY AND WE DIDN'T GET IT DONE.

>> I WAS HOPEFUL THAT IT WOULD GET SOME ATTENTION AND I DON'T THINK I KNEW IT WOULD LAND ON THE FRONT PAGE OF THE "NEW YORK TIMES."

>> I MEAN, THAT WAS BIG, RIGHT?

>> IT WAS BIG.

>> WERE YOU SURPRISED BY TESTER'S PRAISE OF WALZ, SAYING YOU WERE THE GUY, I WAS EXCITED ABOUT YOU BUT THEN HOW CRITICAL HE WAS OF HARRIS AND THE CAMPAIGN NOT USING HIM?

>> NO, I WASN'T REALLY SURPRISED BY THAT.

TESTER'S PRETTY FRANK.

WHEN I FIRST SAW GOVERNOR WALZ COME ON THE STAGE LIKE THAT OF COURSE I'M FROM MINNESOTA SO I MAYBE KNEW MORE ABOUT HIM.

>> YOU'VE INTERVIEWED A LOT OF CANDIDATES FOR PRESIDENT, DOES HE LOOK AND SOUND LIKE ONE?

>> I THINK HE'S TRYING SOMETHING DIFFERENT AND IT'S REALLY TO GO OUT AND TAKE ACCOUNTABILITY AND RESPONSIBILITY FOR, YOU KNOW, THE PART HE SAYS THAT HE PLAYED IN IT.

AND ALSO I THINK HE'S ON A LISTENING TOUR BECAUSE WHETHER PEOPLE LIKE IT OR NOT, HE IS A HIGH PROFILE FACE IN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY RIGHT NOW, AND HE WAS A VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE.

AND SO I DON'T KNOW, MARY.

>> I WASN'T ABLE TO CONNECT WITH ENOUGH OF THOSE WHITE MIDDLE CLASS OR WORKING CLASS FOLKS.

I DON'T KNOW IF MORE OF ME WOULD HAVE DONE THAT OR IF IT WAS THE WRONG MESSAGE BUT I TELL YOU WHAT, WE BETTER FIGURE IT OUT.

IF WE DON'T FIGURE IT OUT IT'S A PROBLEM.

>> I DID NOT SEE YOU ON TV AS MUCH AS I THOUGHT YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN ON TV.

YOU LET TIM WALZ TALK, JUST LET HIM TALK.

THE WORST THING YOU CAN DO TO TIM WALZ, IN MY OPINION IS TELL