The Minnesota House of Representatives is back to an even 67-67 split after Democrat Xp Lee won a special election Tuesday to fill the seat left by slain DFL leader Melissa Hortman.
Lee, a health equity analyst for the Minnesota Department of Health and a former member of the Brooklyn Park City Council, earned about 61% of the vote over Republican challenger Ruth Bittner, a real estate agent.
“I am honored to have been elected to represent my neighbors in Brooklyn Park, Champlin, and Coon Rapids,“ Lee said in a statement. “I have never lost sight of the situation that brought us to this moment, and I will work hard every day to carry forward Speaker Melissa Hortman’s legacy.”
Lee will succeed Hortman, who was assassinated in her Brooklyn Park home along with her husband, Mark, in June. Hortman represented the area of Brooklyn Park, Champlin and Coon Rapids since 2004. She won her most recent election by more than 60%.
He told the Minnesota Star Tribune in August that one of the reasons he decided to run was to “take up her legacy of leadership. She paved pathways for a lot of us.”
“I offer a heartfelt congratulations to Xp Lee on his victory in tonight’s special election,” Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin said in a statement. “Xp’s commitment to expanding access to education, affordable health care, and good-paying jobs honors the legacy of our dear friend, Speaker Emeritus Melissa Hortman.”
Lee has said he wants to expand state-sponsored health insurance, invest in public education and would support limits on assault-style weapons.
Bittner said she ran to give voters an alternative to the three Democrats, including Lee, who competed in an August DFL primary. She said she would have support measures meant to crack down the defrauding of state-administered benefits, reduce state spending and taxes and invest in law enforcement.
