Leaders seek power-sharing deal to avert opening day Democratic boycott of Minnesota House

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Leaders were trying Tuesday to avert an opening day boycott of Minnesota’s 2025 legislative session by House Democrats who want to stop Republicans from exploiting a temporary majority to advance their agenda.

A court ruling early Tuesday might take some wind out of the GOP sails. A judge rejected a Republican effort to force a special election in a race that Democratic incumbent Rep. Brad Tabke, of Shakopee, won by only 14 votes. Republicans had threatened to use their power to refuse to seat him.

The House came out of the November election tied 67-67, and top leaders from both parties initially worked out most of a power-sharing agreement that presumed a tie. But a different judge late last month declared that a newly elected Democrat in a different race didn’t really live in his heavily Democratic district. That gave the GOP a 67-66 majority until a special election in two weeks, and Republicans declared their intent to take full advantage until the tie is restored.

The top House leaders, Democratic former Speaker Melissa Hortman, of Brooklyn Park, and Republican former Minority Leader Lisa Demuth, of Cold Spring, met late into the night Monday and again Tuesday morning to try to resolve the impasse ahead of a floor session scheduled for noon.

Hortman said Monday she would propose a new power-sharing agreement for the start of the session that would let Demuth become speaker, but then revert to their original deal, assuming that the special election restores the tie.

“It’s outrageous that they’re trying to use this two-week, one-vote edge that they have to potentially kick out newly elected members and to try to seize control for two years,” Hortman said at a news conference Monday.

Demuth indicated she was willing to discuss it.

“I would absolutely be open to having a conversation with Rep. Hortman,” Demuth said in an interview, without backing down.

Under Minnesota law, the secretary of state calls the House to order at the start of a session, declares whether a quorum is present, and hands over the gavel when a speaker is elected. It’s normally a quick formality.

Democratic Secretary of State Steve Simon told legislative leaders Friday that the state constitution, statutes and House rules say 68 members must show up for a quorum. He said he has no authority to take further action unless 68 lawmakers are present, so if the 66 Democrats fail to show up, all that lawmakers could do would be to take attendance and adjourn. He said he would continue to convene and adjourn the House daily until a quorum is present and a speaker is elected.

Republicans dispute his legal analysis, arguing that the vacant seat means a quorum is just 67, and threatened to press ahead without him.

This would be the first time the Minnesota Legislature has faced such a boycott, but similar stalling tactics have been used elsewhere.

Democrats in neighboring Wisconsin went into hiding in 2011 in a standoff with majority Republicans over union rights for public employees. Oregon Republicans staged multiple walkouts in recent years, including a record six-week walkout in 2023 over bills on abortion, gender-affirming care and gun rights. The top Democrat in the Michigan House last month ordered absent members back and barred the doors after a Democrat joined Republicans in skipping out.

The high-stakes poker in the Minnesota House contrasts with calm in the state Senate, which is tied 33-33. Democrats are expected to regain a 34-33 majority after a special election, also set for Jan. 28, to fill the seat of a senator who died last month. Unlike the House, Senate leaders quietly reached a power-sharing deal Sunday.

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