A special election was held yesterday in Minnesota House District 40B, following a court ruling that disqualified the previous election’s winner due to residency requirements. The election results are now in:
Election Results
DFL candidate David Gottfried won the seat decisively, defeating GOP candidate Paul Wikstrom by more than 5,000 votes. The final tally:
✔️ David Gottfried (DFL): 9,352 votes (70%)
❌ Paul Wikstrom (GOP): 3,966 votes (30%)
This result follows the deep-blue voting trends of HD40B, where the original Nov. 5, 2024, election also saw a 30% margin of victory for the DFL. The official election results will be reviewed and certified by the canvassing board.
What This Means for the Minnesota House
🗓 Rep.-elect Gottfried is expected to be sworn in on Monday, March 17.
💼 House Control Shifts to a 67-67 Tie:
Before this election, the GOP held a narrow 67-66 majority in the Minnesota House. Gottfried’s victory now eliminates that majority, creating a deadlocked chamber (67-67).
🤝 Power-Sharing Agreement Takes Effect:
A bipartisan power-sharing agreement, negotiated on February 6, 2025, will take effect once Gottfried is sworn in. This agreement includes:
- Rep. Lisa Demuth (GOP) remains Speaker of the House through December 2026.
- All House committees will have co-chairs (one from each party) and equal numbers of GOP and DFL members.
- For a bill to advance out of committee, at least one vote from the opposite party is required.
- For a bill to pass on the House floor, at least 68 votes are needed, ensuring bipartisan support.
📌 Impact on Legislation:
Since February, the GOP-led House had been advancing its own bills through committees, largely on party-line votes. However, they lacked the 68 votes needed to pass legislation on the House floor. With the chamber now tied, the Republican ability to push a solo agenda ends, and bipartisan cooperation will be required at every step.
📊 Next Steps – Budget Negotiations Begin:
House committees now have the February budget forecast (released March 6) and will begin crafting the next two-year state budget, which will cover July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2027. With the new power-sharing dynamic in place, both parties will need to work together to shape Minnesota’s financial priorities.
🔹 Stay tuned for further updates as the Minnesota House navigates this new era of bipartisan governance.
IAM 