Court ruling, death upend balance of power at Minnesota Capitol
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Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios
Minnesota's return to divided government got a lot more complicated over the holidays.
State of play: A late December court ruling that barred DFL Rep.-elect Curtis Johnson from taking office, plus the recent death of former Senate DFL Leader Kari Dziedzic, created temporary vacancies that will upend the balance of power in both chambers for the start of session.
- Instead of gaveling in on Jan. 14 with a 67-67 tie in the House and a one-vote DFL majority in the Senate, Republicans will have a 67-66 edge in the House, and the Senate will be tied for at least two weeks before special elections are held Jan. 28.
Why it matters: The unusual situation could lead to political stalemates, inflamed tensions and procedural fights as lawmakers barrel toward an end-of-June deadline for striking a bipartisan budget deal.
The big picture: While 68 votes are needed to pass a bill in the House, Republicans say there's precedent for them to elect a speaker and set committee chairs on a 67-66 vote.
- That move could give House GOP Leader Lisa Demuth the speaker's gavel for the full two years — even if Democrats win the vacant House seat as expected.
The other side: House DFL leader Melissa Hortman tells Axios installing a GOP speaker "would not be appropriate … because Minnesotans voted for a tied house."
- She called on Republicans to move forward with the original plan for a power-sharing agreement.
The intrigue: The Senate also has to vote for its leaders on Day 1, though it remains unclear how a temporary tie will play out in that chamber.
Friction point: The quick turnaround for both Jan. 28 special elections has drawn criticism that it's too fast.
- Republicans argue DFL Gov. Tim Walz jumped the gun in issuing a writ for the Roseville seat, since Johnson, the Democrat blocked from taking office for failing to live in the district, hadn't been sworn in.
- Some Democrats have complained that the truncated Senate special is unfair to candidates and voters in the safe DFL district, which covers part of northeast Minneapolis and Dinkytown.
The other side: Walz press secretary Claire Lancaster said the short timeline is the result of "an unusual set of circumstances."
- "It's important that Minnesotans don't go through a legislative session without an elected representative," she wrote in a statement.
What we're watching: Both sides are still anxiously awaiting a ruling in a separate election contest over missing ballots in a Shakopee-based swing district.
- The judge's decision in that case could trigger another special election or a political fight over whether to seat DFL Rep. Brad Tabke, who narrowly won the seat in November.
Plus: State Sen. Nicole Mitchell (DFL-Woodbury) is set to stand trial at the end of the month on a felony burglary charge related to an April 2024 incident at her stepmother's Detroit Lakes home.
- Mitchell, who has pleaded not guilty, has resisted calls from both sides to resign over the case last year.