The balance of power is still unclear as the state inches closer to the start of the 2025 legislative session. The Minnesota Senate remains tied and a special election is now scheduled for January 28 following the death of DFL Senator Kari Dziedzic who was battling ovarian cancer.
Then there’s the Minnesota House. A contested race in Scott County is still waiting for resolution. A judge has yet to rule on that case after Republican challenger Aaron Paul and the House GOP filed a lawsuit saying elections officials engaged in “deliberate, serious and material violations” of state election law when they declared incumbent Rep. Brad Tabke (DFL) the winner by 14 votes.
Add in a special election for a Roseville-area seat due to a residency challenge on Jan. 28. That means the closely divided Minnesota House puts Republicans in charge for now. They’re set to have a one-vote majority when session begins Jan. 14.
“We may not know for several weeks, even beyond on the start of the session because of so many contingencies and so many possibilities that could play itself out over the next month, if not perhaps maybe a couple of months,” says Hamline Political science and law professor David Schultz.