Minnesota Update: August 2025
Hill Capitol Strategies
While most of us involved in Minnesota politics have been looking for some calmness to what has been a challenging, frustrating and tragic year, the news cycles keep spinning without regard for how any of us feel. The assassinations in June of Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark and the attempted assassinations of Sen. John Hoffman, his wife Yvette and daughter Hope resulted in a pause to what typically takes place in the days weeks and months after a session adjourns. We are all slowly starting to heal and trying to return to some sense of normalcy. However, in a year of nothing but surprises we now have several new challenges as we look towards to fall.
Leading our updates is an announcement we share with extremely heavy hearts. That is the unexpected passing of GOP Senator Bruce Anderson. Anderson most recently represented Senate District 29, in the Minnesota Senate. The seventy-five-year-old Senator, who served in the Minnesota Legislature for three decades, was first elected to the Minnesota House in 1994 and to the Senate in 2012. Before entering politics, Anderson served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War, as well as in the Minnesota Air National Guard and the U.S. Air Force Reserves. He was a strong advocate for agriculture, energy, and veterans-related issues. Senator Anderson offered quiet leadership, saying much while saying little, and was willing to engage in discussions on any topic. His colleagues remembered him this week as a tremendously kind and gentle man. Senate District 29 located in the northwestern suburbs of the twin cities, includes the communities of Buffalo and Annandale. In recent elections, Republicans have carried the district with margins of +15 to +20. I’ve had the privilege of working with Senator Anderson on several issues over the years, I am thankful we had the opportunity spend some time together in June during the one-day Special Session. I will miss the Senator’s presence at the Capitol and his friendship.
Special election in 34B
Governor Walz has set the dates for both the Primary and Special Elections to fill the seat left vacant by the assassination of Speaker Emeritus Melissa Hortman. With the filings for the seat closing on June 22nd, the Primary will be held on August 12th, and the Special Election will take place on September 16th. There are three DFL candidates and one GOP candidate vying for this seat. We will provide a more detailed analysis of the candidates in the days ahead. Over the years this district has continued to shift further towards the DFL. With the current House make-up 67-66, it will not likely help the GOP reach a majority and 68 seats.
House District 34 – Special Election
Senator Mitchell Found Guilty, Resigned on July 25th.
On July 18th, nearly 15 months since her arrest, a jury found Senator Nicole Mitchell guilty of both felony counts of which she had been charged. Mitchell did not immediately resign, instead she took some time to complete outstanding constituent work and to arrange for healthcare for her children, who were covered by her Senate healthcare plan. Sentencing is expected to take place in September. Both Representatives Hemmingsen-Jaeger and Ethan Cha have filled for the open Senate seat. There are several potential GOP candidates, while this district and the two-house seats have trended towards the DFL, it was not that long ago they were all held by the GOP and considered swing seats.
If Cha or Hemmingsen-Jaeger are successful in winning the race, another House Special Election will have to be called after the Senate race concludes.
Senate Special Elections called
Governor Walz has announced the Special Elections to fill the seats held by Senator Bruce Anderson in Senate District 29 and the seat vacated by Senator Nicole Mitchell in Senate District 47 will be held on Tuesday, November 4th. If primaries are necessary in either race, they will happen on August 26th. Candidates could begin filling for the seats on July 30th, the filling period closes on August 6th.
Capitol Security Concerns Increase
Last month the State Patrol along with Capitol Security encountered a naked man inside the Minnesota Senate Chamber. The incident took place late in the evening, after the Capitol was closed for the day. Security video seems to indicate, the man who was clearly experiencing some type of mental health crisis, entered the building during normal business hours and propped open a door to an outside access area. This allowed him to return after hours. Initially, the man was taken to the nearby Regions Hospital for a mental evaluation. Medical professionals and law enforcement released he man after determining he was not a threat to himself or others. The individual than returned to the Capitol two or three more times on Saturday and was finally arrested and charged with numerous crimes. It has also been announced he has an outstanding warrant in the state of Wisconsin. Speaker of the House Demuth and Senate Minority Leader Johnson both raised concerns with how the incident was handled and why the individual was released after the first encounter with law enforcement.
This incident has raised further concerns regarding security at the Capitol, and for members of the Legislature and the Executive Branch when attending to business in St. Paul. New concerns are also being raised about security needs when members are working outside of the State Capitol. The State Patrol is in the process of retaining a third party to access security around the Capitol Complex. As one of a few State Capitol Buildings in the country without any type of security checkpoints or metal detectors, it is becoming increasingly likely new security protocols will be in place when the Legislature returns in February. Lt. Governor Flanagan who chairs the commission charged with making recommendations regarding Capitol security has called for a commission meeting in late August. The commission which is required to meeting at least 4-times every year, has seldom met under the leadership of Lt. Governor Flanagan.
Legislative Leaders and the Governor held a private meeting last week to further discuss issues related to Capitol security. For many years, members of the Legislature and the Governor have opposed any efforts to limit access to the “People’s House”. However, the increasing calls for violence, threats to elected officials and the assassination of Representative Hortman have all changed the tone of these discussions. House and Senate Leadership has also announced they will be making state funds available to help offset the costs of installing security systems in individual members homes.
Constitutional Crisis
In February, The Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus filed a lawsuit in Ramsey County challenging a provision included in the 2024 Omnibus Tax Bill, which was passed in the final minutes of the 2024 Legislative Session. The MN Gun Owners Caucus is arguing the bill violates the Minnesota Constitution and the requirement legislation contains a single subject. You may recall, the Omnibus Tax Bill was more than 1600 pages, released and voted on in the final minutes of the legislative session and contained numerous other non-tax provisions the Legislature had been unable to pass in the days leading up to their adjournment. Most legislative observers would describe the bill as a ‘garbage bill”. The provision currently under debate in the courts relates to a policy provision which bans binary triggers. On July 29th, Ramsey County Judge Castro heard both the Defendants motion to dismiss the lawsuit, along with the Plaintiffs motion for Summary Judgement.
Last summer, another Ramsey County Judge ruled against United Healthcare who made a similar argument regarding the broad subject matter of the omnibus bill. United Healthcare argued language contained in the bill which prohibited for-profit health insurance companies from winning state contracts to manage healthcare for Medicaid Beneficiaries, also violated the single subject requirements. In that case, the Judge ruled because the title of the bill pertained to the financing and operations of the state budget, the for-profit ban was in fact germane to the bill’s subject.
We are now awaiting a ruling from the courts. A ruling in favor of the Defendants could bring into question the entire omnibus bill.
Worse Air Quality in the World
Smoke from the uncontrolled Canadian wildfires continues to wreak havoc on Minnesota. Most of the state remains under air advisories which began the last week of July. According to an article published by Bring Me the News on Friday, August 1st, Minneapolis had the second worst air quality ranking in the entire world on Friday morning. That’s according to IQ Air, who’s ranking of air quality in the world’s largest cities placed Minneapolis second to only Kinshasa, the Capitol of the Democratic Republic of Congo, in Africa. The Friday morning IQ score of 159 meant the outside air quality in Minneapolis was unhealthy for all people.
Representative Her to Challenge Mayor Carter
On Monday, State Representative Kaohly Vang Her announced her intention to challenge her former boss and mentor, St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter, in the November race for Mayor. Carter is completing his second term as Mayor of the Capitol City. Her, was first elected to the Minnesota House in 2018. She currently serves as the Speaker Pro-Tempore, and Co-Chair of the House Commerce Finance and Policy Committee. Her arrived in the Midwest as a Hmong refugee in 1976, at the age of 3. Prior to running for the House, Her served as Mayor Carter’s Policy Director, a position she continued to hold as a member of the Legislature until 2021. In 2020, her dual roles became a topic of concern and controversy.
With the Her announcement we may need to plan for even more Special Elections in 2025. If Senator Fateh who is running for Mayor of Minneapolis is successful in his challenge of current Mayor Jacob Frey, or Her defeats Carter, Special Elections will be necessary to fill their vacant seats before the Legislature returns for the Regular Session in February.