The Minnesota state Supreme Court ruled in favor of Republicans who said Democratic Gov. Tim Walz had wrongfully called for a special election in a struggle over control of the legislature.
The court ruled that Walz prematurely called for a special election in House District 40B and canceled the election scheduled for Jan. 28.
Now Republicans will retain their one-vote advantage in the state House of Representatives
Republicans had successfully challenged the victory of Democrat Curtis Johnson in the district after they didn’t meet the residency requirements in the law. While the law says the governor can call a special election after the legislative session begins, Walz issued a writ of special election on the day that Johnson resigned from the seat.
The court dismissed arguments from attorneys for Walz that the election contest became “irrelevant” when Walz called for the special election.
Had Walz’s scheme succeeded, then the victor of the special election would have been seated on Feb. 3 and possibly tied control of the legislature. Now Republicans will retain their one-vote advantage in the state House of Representatives until the seat can be filled according to the law.
Members of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party have been boycotting the legislature in order to deny Republicans quorum and filed a lawsuit in the state Supreme Court against Republicans voting for leaders in the legislature.
Republican House Leader Lisa Demuth praised the court for correctly ruling “that the Governor failed the follow the law in his attempt to speed up the special election to help the political fortunes of the Democrat party.”
Walz lost his campaign to win the vice presidential office in the 2024 election alongside Vice President Kamala Harris.
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