If you watch the end of the Minnesota Legislative Session drama on public tv or some streaming website, you’ll see a lot of last minute debates, some last minute trickery, and a lot of “gotcha” politicking. No matter what party is in the majority there is sometimes a lot of unnecessary drama and demonstrating in the hallways of the State Capitol.

This can be very stressful on all parties involved in the end of session marathon. In passed years some groups have brought their party’s legislators treats and comfort food for the breaks they have in these marathon sessions. This is where the idea of a Cookie Drop started.

Our last chair, Tom Polachek (2017-23), commented to Rep Pam Altendorf a week prior to May 17th of the ability to make a bunch of cookies from the recipes on our website posted some years ago during the lockdown conventions of 2020. Since he and our current Chair, Donna Liew weren’t attending the State Convention occurring at the same time, they decided to bring a bunch of cookies to both the MN House Republicans and the MN Senate Republicans. That’s a total of 97 Legislators to bake cookies for.

The cookie recipes from our site Tom Polachek made were Peanut Butter Chip, Healthified Chocolate Chip, Chewy Chocolate Chocolate Chip, and Oatmeal Raisin with Molasses.

Chair Donna Liew made some Gingerbread Cookies, and Blueberry Crumble Bars.

Distribution of the 6 kinds of Cookies to the MN House Republicans took place first with the help of Rep Pam Altendorf of Red Wing MN. She left the House Chambers and met Donna & Tom in the Capitol Rotunda and then escorted them to a room the MN House Republicans use for recesses, or breaks just off the floor of the House Chambers. Afterwards they went to the MN Senate Office Building just north of the State Capitol Building and met with a Legislative Assistant in the MN Senate Republicans Wing of the building.

Baking for just 33 Senators was a lot easier and the cookies were put into an old candy box in rows of 3 and an over flow of the Chewy Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookie into an old Folgers Jar.

An old Folgers Jar can contain quite a few dozen cookies.

Why did we do this?

There was a need and because we still live in a society that free will reigns.  Americans can still rise to a challenge and say I CAN.