As babies cried and flashbulbs sparkled, newly elected Republicans claimed control of the Minnesota Legislature on Tuesday, ushering in the most profound change in the body in four decades.
"Our job now is to govern," Republican House Speaker Kurt Zellers said moments after his election to the state's second-most powerful post.
To taxpayers, Zellers pledged to "treat every one of your dollars that you send to us with the same common sense and frugality" used around the family kitchen table.
The House floor, usually restricted to legislators and staff, was overflowing with family and friends on the first day of the 2011 session.
But behind-the-scenes discord between Republicans and ousted DFL leaders percolated through much of the day, occasionally polluting the usual feel-good ceremonial vibe of such an occasion.
It started when Sen. Scott Dibble, DFL-Minneapolis, abstained during a largely perfunctory vote to elect GOP Sen. Michelle Fischbach of Paynesville as Senate president. Dibble was one of only five members who didn't vote for Fischbach. Republicans have never before controlled the Senate.
Afterward, Dibble said he wanted to sound a note of caution. "I would say that her history in the chamber has been one of partisanship -- more so than others. So I am concerned, yes."
Now the Republican-dominated Legislature must quickly pivot from celebrating to leading a tempestuous caucus that faces Gov. Mark Dayton, the first Democrat to lead the state in a generation.
Any lingering whiffs of collegiality at the Capitol may prove short-lived as Republicans prepare to crank up the rancor dial on Wednesday morning. That's when Dayton will sign an executive order to opt in to a federal expansion of Medicaid, which would extend health care coverage to 95,000 of Minnesota's neediest residents.
Republicans have bitterly opposed the move and tried to tie it to the fight in Washington over President Obama's health care overhaul, which now could be in peril as the GOP has taken control of the U.S. House.
While they can't stop Dayton from signing the order -- something he promised supporters -- Republicans could try to derail it legislatively or file a lawsuit.
"It expands the reach of the federal government and it's the first step of our piece of Obamacare," said state Sen. David Hann, R-Eden Prairie. "The nationalization of health care that is being attempted is a big deal and we think it's significant to resist."
A call from Bachmann
Giving the issue more national flair, U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., contacted the new GOP Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch about the health care plan that Dayton is expected to sign.
Senate Republican spokesman Michael Brodkorb did not say whether Bachmann urged a particular approach. The conversation was "nothing other than she's not a fan of it, and neither is Senator Koch."
But in a statement released Tuesday, Bachmann urged Dayton not to sign the order and said that "the action raises serious constitutional questions."
In an interview earlier in the day, Dayton said that "if you strip away the rhetoric of people who are running already against Barack Obama in 2012...This is about how we provide quality health care to the poorest hundred thousand Minnesotans and allow our hospitals and clinics and other health care providers to provide the best possible health care to all of us.
"It is such an obvious decision that I just am astounded that anybody but political attack squads would think this is something to be debated," Dayton said.
The governor will sign that executive order Wednesday -- a date moved in deference to the leaders of the House and Senate's legislative start Tuesday.
As tensions simmered over health care, DFLers tried to turn up the heat on the state budget.
In the House committee, Republicans blocked a DFL rules amendment to make balancing the budget the House's top priority this session.
Instead, Republicans sent it to a committee for more deliberation.
That prompted state Rep. Ryan Winkler, DFL-Golden Valley, to accuse opponents of leaving the door open for action on controversial social issues. Republicans, he said, "would rather focus ... on a divisive and prejudiced social agenda that denies some Minnesotans the right to marriage, denies women the right to choose, and denies seniors the right to vote."
House Majority Leader Matt Dean, R-Dellwood, said Republicans merely wanted to avoid a hasty approval on a day typically reserved for ceremony.
Partisan squabbling
Republicans easily swatted aside attempts by DFLers to thwart a handful of ceremonial appointments. Dibble criticized the election of Cal Ludeman, former Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty's human services commissioner, as Secretary of the Senate.
Ludeman, he said, was "very clearly a partisan choice" for what is traditionally a nonpartisan job.
There were other parlor games, too.
DFL state Sen. David Tomassoni from Chisholm explained why he voted to have former Senate President James Metzen, a DFLer, keep his job rather than have Fischbach assume the role.
"That was a vote for Metzen, nothing more," he explained.
As he spoke, Fischbach walked past.
"She'll be mad at me, now," Tomassoni said, laughing. "She didn't take anything to heart because she votes against all my bills, all the time [anyway]."
Fischbach replied, smiling: "Pretty much, yeah. And just wait 'till you want that first ruling" as Senate president.
"She does hold grudges," said Tomassoni, laughing again.
Tomassoni then pointed to Fischbach's 62-to-5 election as Senate president and added: "If it had been 34 to 33, I would have voted for you."
Fischbach laughed louder.
Staff writer Rachel E. Stassen-Berger contributed to this report.
Mike Kaszuba • 651-222-1673 Baird Helgeson • 651-222-1288
