Republicans Secure Majority in Minnesota House After Democrat Resigns Over Residency Issue

Republicans will temporarily control the Minnesota House after a newly elected Democrat resigned due to a residency ruling.

The state Capitol building of Minnesota in St. Paul, on Aug. 17, 2013. Karen Bleier/AFP via Getty Images

Republicans are set to begin the year with at least a temporary majority in the Minnesota House after a newly elected Democrat resigned over his failure to meet the state’s residency requirements.

Democratic candidate Curtis Johnson told Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz in a Dec. 27 letter that he has decided not to hold out for a potentially positive decision in his appeal of a ruling by a Ramsey County district judge, who found last week that Johnson had failed to meet residency requirements and is ineligible to serve in the Minnesota House of Representatives.

“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 wrote. “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.”

Johnson added that his decision not to accept his seat in the Minnesota House and resign from the Office of State Representative would be “effective immediately and irrevocably.”

The resignation announcement formalizes Republican control of the Minnesota House by a one-seat margin of 67 to 66—at least for now. A special election to fill the vacancy will be held on Jan. 28, 2025, according to Walz’s office. If necessary, the special election will be preceded by a special primary election on Jan. 14, with a Dec. 31 deadline for submission to the secretary of state of affidavits of candidacy and nominating petitions.

Republican Rep. Lisa Demuth, poised to become House speaker with the GOP in control, expressed satisfaction that the judge’s ruling will remain in effect. Earlier, leaders from both parties had been negotiating a power-sharing agreement, anticipating a 67–67 split in the chamber.

The current Minnesota House speaker, Democratic Rep. Melissa Hortman, expressed confidence that a Democrat will prevail in the special election.

Meanwhile, a pending court challenge in a different suburban district in Minnesota could also affect the balance of power in the House.

Incumbent Democratic Rep. Brad Tabke was declared the winner by 14 votes over Republican Aaron Paul despite 20 missing ballots that were accepted but never counted and then apparently thrown away. At a hearing, Tabke’s attorneys presented six of those affected voters who testified that they supported Tabke, which would be enough to preserve his win. A judge is expected to decide within the next few weeks how to proceed.