House Democrats boycott opening day of Minnesota’s legislative session to thwart narrow GOP majority
Published 1:50 pm Tuesday, January 14, 2025
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ST. PAUL — House Democrats boycotted the opening day of Minnesota’s 2025 legislative session Tuesday in an effort to stop Republicans from exploiting a temporary majority to advance their agenda.
There was applause as Democratic Secretary of State Steve Simon entered the chamber to convene the proceedings in accordance with state law. But the Democratic side of the House chamber was empty, with none of their members in sight. Only Republicans replied “present” as a clerk took the roll.
Simon then announced they did not reach the 68 members he had said would be needed for a quorum, declared the chamber adjourned and left.
But Republicans stayed in their seats. They said that with 67 members present, they did have a quorum, and voted to elect former Minority Leader Lisa Demuth, of Cold Spring, as speaker, a legally debatable move that Democrats rejected as an “unlawful sham with no legal authority.”
The House came out of the November election tied 67-67, and top leaders from both parties started to work out a power-sharing agreement that presumed a tie. But a judge late last month declared that a newly elected Democrat didn’t live in his heavily Democratic district.
That gave the GOP a 67-66 majority until a special election can take place in two weeks. Republicans declared their intent to take full advantage until the tie is restored.
The GOP lost a round in the power struggle earlier Tuesday when a different judge rejected a Republican effort to force a special election in a different 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 even if they lost the court case.
Former Speaker Melissa Hortman, of Brooklyn Park, indicated in a statement that seating Tabke was the key disagreement that she and Demuth could not resolve in talks Monday and Tuesday.
House Democrats held a secret swearing-in ceremony on Sunday night to try to ensure that Tabke and other members could take their seats, a move Republicans denounced.
“Democrats have no other recourse to protect the will of the voters than to deny quorum,” Hortman said in her statement. “Democrats are united in our will to fight Republican efforts to kick Representative Brad Tabke out of the Minnesota House. We cannot allow Republicans to engage in this unprecedented abuse of power, and we will use every tool at our disposal to block it.”
Hortman had proposed 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.
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.
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 had no authority to take further action unless 68 lawmakers are present, so if the 66 Democrats failed 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 disputed his legal analysis, arguing that the vacant seat meant a quorum is just 67, and pressed ahead without him Tuesday.
This is 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.