Minnesota Tries to Look Forward; Special Election Announced
The shocking and tragic assassination of Democratic House Speaker Emerita Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark just days after the recent special legislative session left Minnesota politics stunned. As the Capitol community starts to look forward, it finds itself needing yet another special election in the Minnesota State Legislature, the fourth in 2025. Last Friday, Gov. Tim Walz called the special election to fill Rep. Hortman’s seat, scheduling it for Tuesday, September 16, 2025. A special election primary, if necessary, will take place on Tuesday, August 12, 2025 and all prospective candidates must file prior to July 22, 2025. State law requires that the seat be filled before the start of the 2026 legislative session.
On a more uplifting note, Minnesotans on both sides of the aisle celebrated the news last week that state Sen. John Hoffman (DFL-Champlin) was released from the ICU and moved to a rehab facility to continue his recovery. Sen. Hoffman, along with his wife Yvette, were shot numerous times by the same gunman that killed Rep. Hortman and her husband, but both survived the assassination attempt and are recovering.
Mitchell Trial Begins Monday
The twice delayed trail for state Sen. Nicole Mitchell (DFL-Woodbury) beings today. Mitchell was arrested on April 22, 2024 after she was found in her stepmother’s home after allegedly breaking and entering. She has been charged with first-degree burglary and possession of burglary tools. Democrats currently hold a 34-33 lead in the Minnesota Senate and the outcome of this trial has the potential to force yet another special election.
Feds Looking into MN DHS Hiring Laws
Late last week the U.S. Justice Department sent a letter to Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison informing the State of Minnesota and the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) about their investigation into DHS hiring practices. The Trump administration cited federal civil rights laws and recent DOJ efforts to question the legality of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, raising concerns with a DHS hiring plan that it saw as taking race and gender into consideration when making hiring decisions. Although Ellison and the Attorney General’s Office had no comment, Jill Hasday, a law professor at the University of Minnesota, who is familiar with such cases, stated in an interview that Minnesota will likely argue that DHS policy is used as a check to prevent hiring bias.
Congressional Outlook
The House and Senate are both in session this week. The Senate is preparing for another vote series related to a proposed $9.4 billion rescissions package. The White House-backed plan includes significant foreign aid reductions and over $1 billion in proposed cuts to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Congressional leadership must complete action on this package by July 18.
Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and other Republican senators have raised objections to portions of the package, particularly proposed cuts to PEPFAR and public broadcasting. The legislation may be amended or replaced with a substitute proposal depending on procedural guidance from the parliamentarian.
The Senate is expected to begin formal consideration with a motion to discharge the package from committee as early as Tuesday. A vote on final passage may follow after up to ten hours of debate and a subsequent vote series. Democratic leadership, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Patty Murray of Washington, the Ranking Member on the Appropriations Committee, continue to warn that this package could imperil bipartisan negotiations over fiscal year 2026 appropriations. A government shutdown remains a real risk this fall if consensus is not reached.
Following the rescissions debate, the Senate is expected to pivot back to executive nominations, with votes anticipated into Friday and possibly through the August work period.
Additional Legislative Activity
This week, the House is expected to consider several major proposals, including the FY2026 Defense Appropriations bill and two digital asset-related bills: the CLARITY Act and the GENIUS Act. More than 570 amendments have been submitted for House Rules Committee consideration.
Looking Ahead
The risk of a government shutdown remains elevated as both chambers grapple with fiscal year 2026 appropriations and the political fallout from the reconciliation package. While Republican leadership is focused on advancing their fiscal agenda and defending key seats, Democrats are leveraging public opposition to cuts in health care and clean energy as a rallying point ahead of the 2026 midterms.
