Minnesota Report
Normally, in an odd-numbered year, there isn’t much to discuss in politics beyond the municipal elections in Minneapolis and St. Paul. But that was before the chaos unleashed in the Bizarro world of Donald J Trump (R), where nearly every day brings a new wave of lunacy.
The tragic loss of Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman (DFL-34B, Brooklyn Park)—assassinated in an act that still leaves a deep ache in the hearts of those who respect democracy—has further shaken the political landscape.
The Minnesota Legislature, one of the most closely divided in the nation, now hinges on the Special Election in District 34B, where the outcome could shift the balance of power in the Minnesota House of Representatives. The race features Xp Lee (DFL-34B, Brooklyn Park), a current Brooklyn Park City Council member and employee of the Minnesota Department of Health, facing off against Ruth Bittner (R-34B, Brooklyn Park), a real estate agent. If Bittner wins, the Republicans would gain the majority and dramatically alter the current power dynamic in the state.
Additionally, the Special Elections in Senate Districts 29 and 47 will determine control of the Minnesota Senate, where the majority also hangs in the balance.
In District 29, a northwestern exurban area, the race to replace the late SenatorBruce Anderson (R-29, Buffalo) is expected to remain in Republican hands. The candidates are Michael Holmstrom Jr (R-29, Buffalo), a business owner known for his strong anti-abortion stance, and Louis McNutt (DFL-29, Buffalo), a union truck driver for the State of Minnesota. In the 2022 election, Anderson carried the district with 61% of the vote.
The contest drawing the most attention is in Woodbury, where voters will elect a replacement for former Sen Nicole Mitchell (DFL-47, Woodbury) following her felony burglary conviction. The candidates are Rep Amanda Hemmingsen-Jaeger (DFL-47, Woodbury) and Dwight Dorau (R-47, Woodbury).
This race could have a domino effect. If Hemmingsen-Jaeger, who won her half of the district in 2024 with 60.62% of the vote, prevails, another Special Election will likely be held before year’s end to fill her vacated seat in the Minnesota House.