Democrats will retain the legislative seat previously held by Melissa Hortman, the former Democratic Minnesota House speaker who was killed at their home in June in what prosecutors call a political assassination.
According to the Associated Press, Democratic Party nominee Xp Lee defeated Republican nominee Ruth Bittner in a special election held on Tuesday in a suburban Minneapolis state House district.
Lee’s victory in the blue-leaning district will once again result in a deadlock in the Minnesota House, with Democrats and Republicans each holding 67 seats. It will also restore the power-sharing agreement reached between the two parties after the Democrats lost their majority in the 2024 elections.
The special election was held a week after the assassination of conservative firebrand, commentator, and Turning Point USA co-founder Charlie Kirk, which shook the nation and brought Hortman’s murder back to the forefront.
Prosecutors say alleged gunman Vance Boelter impersonated a police officer while carrying out the “political assassinations” of Hortman and her husband, Mark. Boelter is also accused of shooting and wounding state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, at their nearby home.
Lee, who was born in a refugee camp in Thailand after his family fled the Vietnam War, told the Associated Press ahead of the election that carrying on Hortman’s legacy was a major motivation for him.
“I would not be running if Melissa Hortman hadn’t been murdered. So I’m very aware of political and gun violence. So I want to help our community heal,” Lee explained.
Bittner, a real estate agent, told Minnesota public radio that Hortman was “a very unique individual.” We will not try to replace her.
Minnesota was further rocked by violence late last month, when two young schoolchildren were killed and 21 others injured in a shooting at Minneapolis’ Annunciation Catholic School.
