SAINT PAUL, Minn. — Awkward Thanksgivings and tiptoeing around coworkers are scenarios that are relatable during this election season.
"Everybody has got a family member they've lost to politics, and it's like, how do we get them back?" asked Amy Koch, former Republican Majority Leader in the Minnesota Senate.
Koch joins cohosts the "Wrong About Everything" podcast with Brian McDaniel and Javier Morillo. The podcast aims to bring in members from both ends of the political spectrum to discuss, and make fun of, Minnesota and national politics.
Morillo didn't think he would necessarily end up as friends with Koch when she joined the show. He is a former labor organizer and progressive political strategist who started the show with McDaniel, heavily involved in Republican politics.
"I always introduce Amy as the only person invited to my wedding that tried to ban it from happening," he laughed, referring to the wedding with his husband.
The two warmed up to one another, and nowadays make State Fair trips and hang out with one another's families. They still, however, disagree on a lot.
"One can overcome really hard things just focusing on being human beings together," said Morillo.
There are times when their differences stand out. The group has discussed the Israel and Hamas War, political missteps and more.
And when tensions can get high on the podcast, they try to take a step back and focus on their humanity.
"We're like, okay everyone, tone it down," said Morillo. "We're just human beings who like each other."
"I work on the friendship," said Koch. "And the rest of it kind of comes."
They say it's about finding common ground outside of the politics, and respecting the people in front of you. It's not necessarily about convincing the other person, but listening to them and trying to understand where one another is coming from.
"I can also just acknowledge that people have different perspectives," said Koch, "It's not that they're bad or evil. If they have a just a different view."