>> Mary: HE HAS CHAIRED SOME OF THE MOST POWERFUL AND IMPORTANT COMMITTEES CURRENTLY WAYS AND MEANS, PREVIOUSLY BONDING.

BUT HE'S ALSO MENTORED AND CLOSED DEALS IN CRUNCH TIME, WORKING ACROSS THE AISLE.

RETIRING REPRESENTATIVE PAUL TORKELSON IS SOMEONE WHO ALWAYS WANTED TO MAKE GOVERNMENT WORK.

TAKE A LOOK.

>> YOU HAVE TO GO BACK IN MY OWN HISTORY A LITTLE BIT HERE.

REDISTRICTING CHANGED MY LIFE DRAMATICALLY.

I WAS FORCED TO -- WELL, NOT FORCED TO, BUT I CHOSE TO MOVE AFTER REDISTRICTING BECAUSE I WOULD HAVE RUN TO HEAD TO HEAD WITH A COLLEAGUE.

I CHOSE TO MOVE TO A NEW DISTRICT, WHICH WAS REALLY MY OLD DISTRICT, BUT A NEW HOME.

I THINK MINNESOTA'S A GOOD GOVERNMENT STATE.

I THINK WE ALL CARE ABOUT GOVERNMENT, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO REDISTRICTING, IT'S A PLET POLITICAL PROCESS.

WAVE SEEN MANY STATES WHO HAVE TRIED OUTSIDE GROUPS.

OFTEN IT ENDS UP IN COURT ANYWAY BECAUSE IT GETS CHALLENGED BY CERTAIN GROUPS.

I DON'T THINK MINNESOTA'S READY FOR OPEN, FREE -- >> THE WIDE OPEN PRIMARY.

>> THE WIDE OPEN PRIMARY.

>> WHY NOT?

>> IT DOESN'T FIT WELL WITH OUR HISTORY, I GUESS, WOULD BE MY PERSPECTIVE.

>> Mary: WELL, GENTLEMEN, FIRST REPRESENTATIVE, WE'LL HAVE YOU RESPOND TO THE GOVERNOR BECAUSE HE SAYS IT'S TIME TO GET REAL AND HE WANTS TO KNOW WHEN HE'S GOING TO SEE YOUR BONDING BILL?

>> WELL, AS MANY PEOPLE HAVE SAID, WE NEED TO EAT OUR VEGETABLES BEFORE WE GET OUR DESSERT AND BONDING IS REALLY DESSERT WHEN IT COMES TO THE LEGISLATURE.

>> Mary: A LARGER GROUP OF LEADING LAWMAKERS SPENT A WEEKEND BEHIND CLOSED DOORS HAMMERING OUT THE DEAL.

>> WE COMMITTED TO WORK TOGETHER ON THE BUDGET, TO GET THE BUDGET APPROVED ON A TIMELY BASIS OUT OF WAYS AND MEANS, >> IT HELPS TO HAVE MORE PEOPLE IN THE ROOM.

BUT I'M SO PROUD OF OUR SPEAKER TO BE, AND MAJORITY LEADER, BECAUSE THEY HELD STRONG THROUGHOUT THESE NEGOTIATIONS AND NEGOTIATED IN A RESPECTABLE WAY.

I THINK THAT'S SO IMPORTANT.

WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT THE INSTITUTION AND THE INTEGRITIES OF THE INSTITUTION.

THERE'S SOME REPAIR WORK TO BE DONE.

>> Mary: HERE WITH US NOW IN PERSON, RETIRING REPRESENTATIVE, REPUBLICAN PAUL TORKELSON, ALMOST 20 YEARS.

>> ALMOST.

>> Mary: WE SAW IT THERE.

YOU RESPECT THE INSTITUTION.

IS THAT UNUSUAL THESE DAYS?

>> OH, I DON'T THINK IT'S UNUSUAL.

BUT THERE IS A LITTLE MORE ROBUST ACTIVITY THESE DAYS, IT SEEMS.

YOU KNOW, THE EXTREMES HAVE A LARGER VOICE, I THINK MUCH OF THAT'S DRIVEN BY SOCIAL MEDIA ECHO CHAMBERS THAT PEOPLE GET WRAPPED UP IN.

BUT UNDERNEATH THAT, I THINK THERE'S STILL A RESPECT FOR THE INSTITUTION.

>> Mary: WHERE DOES THAT COME FROM FOR YOU?

>> WELL, FOR ME, IT'S A LONG HISTORY OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT, AND THEN WORKING FROM THAT, I GOT VERY ACTIVE IN FARM BUREAU AND LOBBYING HERE IN MENTAL HEALTH AND IN WASHINGTON, D.C., AND SEEING HOW CHALLENGING IT IS TO MOVE THINGS THINGTHINGS FORTH.

WHEN YOU GET HERE AND ARE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DESK, YOU UNDERSTAND HOW HARD IT IS.

>> Mary: YOU MENTIONED FARM BUREAU.

BACK IN THE DAY, EARLY IN MY CAREER, IN MY FATHER'S CAREER UP HERE, THERE USED TO BE A LOT F LAWMAKERS HO IDENTIFIED AS FARMER.

THERE'S VERY FEW LEFT.

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SAY ABOUT THAT?

>> WELL, CERTAINLY THAT'S CHANGED, BUT THAT'S A REFLECTION OF SOCIETY.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A MUCH SMALLER PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE THAT ARE FARMING.

THAT'S JUST THE NAILT THAT'S JUST THE NAIL NATURE OF WHAT'S HAPPENED OVER TIME.

AND POP LAIGS HAVE GROWN IN OUR MEMBERSHIP CENTERS.

BUT THE IMPORTANCE OF AGRICULTURE TO THE STATE OF MINNESOTA IS STILL HUGE.

AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT VOICE IS STILL HEARD.

>> Mary: AND YOU HAD TO MOVE.

YOU'RE A FARMER WHO HAD TO MOVE TO STAY IN THE LEGISLATURE.

THAT'S NO SMALL FEAT.

>> WELL, I MADE A CHOICE.

YOU REMEMBER TONY CORNISH.

I COULD HAVE RUN AGAINST HIM FROM MY FARM ADDRESS.

INSTEAD, WE ENDED UP BUYING A HOME IN LAKE COUNTY.

WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF LOOKING TO SELL THAT.

BUT IT WAS A GOOD MOVE.

IT'S ONLY TEN MILES FROM THE FARM.

SO I WAS ABLE TO DO BOTH JOBS PRETTY EFFECTIVELY.

>> Mary: SO WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO IN RETIREMENT?

>> I'M GOING TO BE RETIRED.

I'LL BE 74 THIS SUMMER AND MY WIFE AND I HAVE SOME RETIREMENT PLANS.

>> Mary: I'VE BEEN TALKING TO YOUR COLLEAGUES, MOST NOTABLY HOUSE SPEECIAL LISA DEMUTH WHO WANTED ME TO REMIND THAT SHE CHOSE YOU, THAT YOUR LEADER POSITION WAS NOT ELECTED, BUT THAT IT WAS CHOSEN AND THAT YOU HAVE BEEN A REALLY KEY MENTOR TO HER.

AND SHE'S NOT SURE SHE WOULD BE WHERE SHE IS WITHOUT YOU.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THAT?

>> I THINK LISA IS A TALENTED AND GIFTED LEADER.

BUT SHE WAS A LITTLE WET BEHIND THE EARS WHEN SHE WAS FIRST ELECTED LEADER OF HER CAUCUS.

I WAS A LITTLE SURPRISED WHEN SHE TURNED ME AND ASKED ME TO BE HER NUMBER TWO BECAUSE WE WEREN'T REALLY ALL THAT WELL ACQUAINTED.

BUT WE FOUND THAT WE WORKED WELL TOGETHER AND WE WERE ABLE TO PUT A TEAM TOGETHER TO RUN OUR CAUCUS.

AND I'VE WATCHED GROW INTO THE JOB.

AND I'VE, YOU KNOW, I'VE TRIED TO HELP HER IN EVERY WAY AND SUPPORT HER IN EVERY WAY I CAN, AND I'VE BEEN ABLE TO MENTOR HER.

I'M VERY HAPPY ABOUT THAT, AND I THINK SHE HAS A VERY BRIGHT FUTURE.

>> Mary: WHAT'S YOUR SECRET SAUCE?

WE JUST SAW THERE, WHEN YOU SHOW UP BEHIND CLOSED DOORS, YOU ARE KNOWN AS THE -- A DEAL MAKER.

YOU GET IT DONE.

>> WELL, I THINK YOU, OVER TIME, YOU DEVELOP A REPUTATION, THAT'S REALLY ALL YOU HAVE HERE IS YOUR REPUTATION.

I THINK I'VE DEVELOPED ONE THAT -- OF AIRNESS, AND KINDNESS, BUT STILL ON UNDERSTANDING OF HOW TOUGH THE WORK IS AND HOW YOU REALLY HAVE TO -- YOU GOT TO BUCKLE DOWN TO GET IT DONE.

WE DO DISAGREE.

SOMETIMES THOSE DISAGREEMENTS DRIVE US APART.

BUT THEY SHOULDN'T DRIVE US SO FAR APART THAT WE AN'T GET BACK TOGETHER AND FIND SOLUTIONS.

I HONESTLY DON'T LIKE THE WORD COMPROMISE.

I LIKE THE WORD OR THE THEORY THAT WE FIND SOLUTIONS THAT WE BOTH CAN LIVE WITH.

I'M NOT GOING TO COMPROMISE MY VALUES.

THE ERSON ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TABLE IS NOT GOING TO COMPROMISE THEIR VALUABLES, BUT IF WE WORK HARD, WE CAN FIND PATHS THAT WE CAN BOTH AGREE WITH AND USE TO GET THE WORK DONE.

>> Mary: YOU'RE NOT DONE MAKING NEWS.

YOU WERE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SHOW RESPONDING TO THE GOVERNOR AND THE CHANGES OF THE D.H.S.

WHAT I THOUGHT WAS FUNNIEST WHEN YOU SAID WHY IS THE GOVERNOR WAITING UNTIL WE'RE BOTH LEAVING TO REFORM THE TECHNOLOGY?

THIS IS SOMETHING YOU STILL WANT TO DO AND THINK CAN BE DONE?

>> YEAH, I'M VERY CONFIDENT.

THE FIRST THING THE GOVERNOR AND I DID TOGETHER WAS MNLARS.

THAT REFORM WAS A BIG DEAL.

GETTING THE DRIVER'S LICENSE SYSTEM OPERATING AND HIRING A COMPANY TO BRING IN SOFTWARE TO DO THAT.

WE NEED TO DO THE SIMILAR THINGS ACROSS STATE GOVERNMENT.

BUT IT'S GOTTEN EASIER, HONESTLY.

WE DID MNLARS, THE DATABASE TRANSFER WAS A BIG SCARY DEAL.

NOW, THE EXPERTS TELL ME, WELL, WE CAN TRANSFER THOSE DATABASES NO PROBLEM.

AND THAT'S GOING TO CONTINUE TO GET EASIER.

A.I.

IS GOING TO MAKE THIS EASIER TO DO.

BUT WE'VE GOT TO BE SMART ABOUT IT.

WE'VE GOT TO PUT TOGETHER WHAT THEY CALL AN AIRPORT SYSTEM WHERE WE HAVE THIS IS BASIS THAT KIND OF COMMUNICATES BETWEEN ALL THESE DIFFERENT SILOS SO THAT WE BREAK THE SILOS DOWN AND PEOPLE CAN ACTUALLY USE THE DATA.

YOU KNOW, I OFTEN SAY, IF YOU'RE A 25-YEAR-OLD AND YOU GO TO WORK AT YOUR COUNTY TAKING CARE OF PEOPLE ON THESE PROGRAMS, AND THEY SIT YOU DOWN IN FRONT OF A GREEN SCREEN THAT TAKES -- WHERE YOU HAVE TO ENTER THE SAME ADDRESS THREE OR FOUR TIMES, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO STAY ON THAT JOB.

>> Mary: FINALLY, ADVICE.

YOU'VE EEN VERY EFFECTIVE HERE.

HOW DO PEOPLE DO IT?

>> WELL, IT'S A PEOPLE BUSINESS.

AND IT'S ALL ABOUT UILDING RELATIONSHIPS.

BUILDING A REPUTATION.

KEEPING YOUR NOSE TO THE GRINDSTONE.

AND DOING THE WORK.

I, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SHOW HORSES AND THERE'S WORK HORSES.

I BELIEVE I'M A WORK HORSE, AND I'M PROUD OF THAT, BECAUSE I -- THERE'S WORK TO BE DONE HERE.

PEOPLE EXPECT GOVERNMENT TO WORK FOR THEM.

AND THAT REALLY SHOULD BE OUR GOAL.

AND IT'S MY GOAL.

>> Mary: WELL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.

YOU WILL BE MISSED.

>> WELL, I'VE HAD A LOT OF TREMENDOUSLY KIND WORDS SAID TO ME OVER THESE LAST