Democrat wins special election, bringing Minnesota House to a tie

State Rep.-elect David Gottfried, who won a special election in House District 40B in the north metro area on March 11, 2025. Courtesy photo.

Democrat David Gottfried decisively won a special election in the north metro area Tuesday night, bringing the Minnesota House to a 67-67 tie. 

The seat was empty because the winner of the November election, Democrat Curtis Johnson, was not a resident of the district, a judge ruled in December. 

“The President is sowing chaos that is increasing the price of basic needs like food, energy and health care. It’s never been more urgent that we work together in Saint Paul,” Gottfried said in a statement.

After Gottfried is sworn in, likely on Monday, committees will be co-chaired by one Republican and one Democrat, with membership split evenly, except for a new anti-fraud committee that will remain under Republican control. Rep. Lisa Demuth, R-Cold Spring, will remain in her position as the House speaker through 2026, under a power sharing agreement negotiated earlier this year. 

A bill requires 68 votes to pass in the House, so all bills will require some amount of bipartisan support to pass the chamber. Bills will also require bipartisan support to get a committee hearing, House DFL caucus leader Melissa Hortman said this week. Per a prior agreement, Republicans will retain their majority on the Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Policy Committee, which was formed to address the theft of hundreds of millions of public dollars in recent years. 

Lawmakers must pass a two-year budget by June 30 to avoid a government shutdown.

Republicans, who have controlled committees during their temporary one-seat advantage, have just a few more days to hold hearings on their bills that have no DFL support.  

The one-seat advantage — though temporary — has paid dividends for Republicans, who secured the speakership and the permanent majority on the anti-fraud committee. And, they were able to get bills on the floor to push their political message, even if they had no chance of passage, like delaying the implementation of paid leave, overturning the duty to retreat, and banning transgender athletes from girls sports. 

While the seat was empty, Republicans considered using their one-vote advantage to block the seating of DFL Rep. Brad Tabke, who narrowly won his south metro election. Democrats held out from the legislative session for several weeks, preventing the chamber from reaching the number of present members required to conduct business. 

Democrats returned to the chamber in early February after reaching a deal with Republicans on the details of the power-sharing agreement. 

“It was always going to be an uphill battle to win in a dark blue Democrat seat, but we look forward to having the House back at full strength,” Demuth said. “I want to thank Paul Wikstrom for running an incredible race and ensuring that District 40B is represented by someone who actually resides in the community.”