Minnesota House Democrats staged a walkout to prevent Republicans from electing a new speaker, escalating tensions in the divided chamber.
Minneapolis: So, here’s the scoop. Minnesota’s Democratic state reps decided to walk out on the first day of the legislative session. They wanted to block the Republicans from getting a quorum to elect a new speaker. It’s a pretty big deal since the House is split right down the middle.
After the Secretary of State, Steve Simon, called the session to a halt due to the lack of a quorum, the Republicans still tried to hold a session. They went ahead and voted to elect Lisa Demuth as the new speaker, but that’s likely going to be challenged in court.
Melissa Hortman, the Democrats’ speaker-designate, wasn’t having any of it. She called the whole thing a “kangaroo court” and said they’d fight back in court to stop the Republicans from moving forward.
She pointed out that they need to respect the election results, even if they don’t like them. The Democrats are really concerned about what they see as an attempt by the Republicans to undermine democracy.
In November, voters split the House evenly with 67 Democrats and 67 Republicans. But a residency challenge knocked one Democrat out, leading to a special election later this month. The Republicans are eager to take control, claiming the tie is broken.
Demuth argued that the law was on their side, saying the Democrats were just frustrated with the situation. By not showing up, the Democrats are making it tough for the Republicans to elect a speaker or appoint committee heads.
The Democrats plan to stay away until after the special election, hoping to regain some power in the House. They believe that seat is a safe Democratic one, which could tip the balance back in their favor.
Simon made it clear that without 68 members present, he couldn’t do anything else and adjourned the session. The walkout came after late-night negotiations failed to resolve the standoff.
National Democrats are backing the local party with a $100,000 investment to support their efforts. They’re also focused on the special election, where a Democrat is expected to win.
There’s also the issue with Rep. Brad Tabke, whose election was questioned after some absentee ballots were mistakenly discarded. A court upheld his win, but the House still has to decide on his eligibility.
Hortman stated that the Democrats have no choice but to deny a quorum until the special election restores the balance. They’re determined to fight against what they see as Republican overreach.
So, it’s a tense situation in Minnesota, and it looks like this battle is far from over.
