The Democratic Party trifecta in Minnesota is officially over for now. The Republican Party officially controls the State House after one Democrat's win was ineligible due to residency requirements and decided not to appeal the court’s ruling. Democrat Curtis Johnson won the race for House District 40B but has opted to step down, setting the stage for a special election which is slated to be held on January 28 (via CBS News):
St. Paul, Minn. — Democrats lose majority in Minnesota State Senate after senator’s death leaves the chamber tied. https://t.co/APhTfzZkJY
— NewsWire (@NewsWire_US) December 28, 2024
A DFL state representative-elect said Friday he will not appeal a judge's ruling that he is ineligible to hold the office because he did not meet residency requirements for the district.
In a letter to Gov. Tim Walz, Curtis Johnson said he has "made the difficult decision not to accept my seat in the Minnesota House of Representatives and to resign from the Office of State Representative effective immediately and irrevocably."
"While I disagree with the conclusion reached by the District Court, I recognize that whatever the decision on appeal, the ultimate decision belongs to the Legislature, where it appears there is no viable pathway for me being allowed to retain my seat," he added.
Johnson's decision means a special election will be held to fill the seat. Walz issued a writ of special election Friday, setting the date for Jan. 28. Candidates must file with the secretary of state and Ramsey County by New Year's Eve.
Earlier this month, a Ramsey County judge ruled Johnson did not live in District 40B for six months before the election as required by the state constitution.
The chamber was split 67-67 with Johnson, but his resignation leaves the GOP with a one-seat majority, but Democrats aren’t sure (via Pioneer Press):
Democrats are already disputing Republicans’ claim of control, asserting they need to hold a majority of available seats in the House.
“The House DFL disagrees that House Republicans have an organizational majority because 68 members are required to conduct House business,” a House DFL spokesperson said.
DFL Gov. Tim Walz called for a special election to be held on Jan. 28.
It’s a fairly safe Democratic district, meaning Republicans likely will hold a majority for a few weeks. House Speaker Melissa Hortman, DFL-Brooklyn Park, noted this in a statement responding to Johnson’s resignation, and called on GOP colleagues to continue working as though the tie remained.
“This session provides a historic opportunity for the Minnesota House to govern on a bipartisan basis. House Democrats are ready to get to work with our Republican colleagues,” she said. “There is no time to waste on partisanship as we head into session.”
It'll likely be a 67-67 split chamber after the special election, but I'll enjoy the win for the time being.
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