Brian Bakst is senior politics editor for MPR News. He has covered Minnesota politics and policy since 1999 – spanning from Gov. Jesse Ventura to Gov. Tim Walz and many prominent officials in between. He spent much of his career at The Associated Press and has worked for MPR since 2016, mostly based out of the state Capitol bureau. He hosts MPR’s weekly “Politics Friday” show during the legislative session and the fall campaign season.

Raised in Mukwonago, Wis., Brian is a 1998 graduate of the University of Minnesota with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and political science. He lives in Woodbury with his wife, two daughters and a rambunctious labradoodle. In his spare time, Brian can be found at sporting events or on the golf course.