Minnesota state House Republicans had several key pickups in last month’s election, and a recent court decision will give them temporary control of the chamber next year.
The state House was set to be tied 67-67 between Republicans and Democrats in the new year, but earlier this month, a court ruled Democratic state Rep.-elect Curtis Johnson had failed to establish residency in the district he handily won; he was thus disqualified from taking office. Johnson announced on Friday in a letter to Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) that he would not appeal the court’s decision and would forfeit his seat.
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“While I disagree with the conclusions 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,” Johnson said in the letter.
“Rather than dragging this out further, I have decided to resign now, so that a special election can be held as soon as possible and the people of 40B will be represented in the Legislature,” he added.
Walz, upon receiving Johnson’s letter, declared a special election for the heavily Democratic district for Jan. 28, 2025. With the state House set to convene for the first time on Jan. 14, 2025, the GOP’s slim 67-66 majority will likely be short-lived, as the seat is projected to stay in Democratic hands and return the legislature to a tie.
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Republican state House Speaker-designate Lisa Demuth said in a statement that Johnson’s decision means the GOP will have organizational control of the chamber and will not have to come to a power-sharing agreement with Democrats. Democrats in the chamber argue a 68-seat majority would be needed for organizational control, according to the Minnesota Star Tribune.
In the November elections, state Republicans had gained three seats and broken the Democratic trifecta in the state by forcing, at least, a tie in the state House.
