Meet Minnesota's new legislative leaders

Why it matters: Leaders play an influential role in setting the agendas — and political tone — at the Capitol. They'll be at the table with Gov. Tim Walz to hash out deals on the budget and other top issues.

What happened: Senate Democrats elected Sen. Kari Dziedzic, a legislative veteran who has represented Northeast Minneapolis since 2012, as the next majority leader.

• Dziedzic, who led fundraising for the DFL's successful campaign to flip the Senate, succeeds Sen. Melisa Lopez Franzen, who did not run for re-election.
• She's the daughter of longtime Minneapolis Council Member Walt Dziedzic.

House Democrats re-elected Speaker Melissa Hortman (DFL-Brooklyn Park) and named Rep. Jamie Long of Minneapolis as majority leader and Rep. Athena Hollins of St. Paul as majority whip.

• Long fills a leadership post left vacant by the departure of Rep. Ryan Winkler, who left the Legislature for a failed run for county attorney.

Senate Republicans selected Sen. Mark Johnson of East Grand Forks to lead their caucus.

• Sen. Jeremy Miller, the current majority leader, was re-elected to the Senate but decided not to run for another term at the helm.

House Republicans replaced longtime leader Kurt Daudt with Rep. Lisa Demuth of Cold Spring.

• She's the first Black lawmaker to serve as a caucus leader and the first woman to lead the House Republicans.