Democratic-Farmer-Labor candidate David Gottfried has been elected in Minnesota’s special election for House District 40B, defeating Republican Paul Wikstrom 70% to 30%.
Gottfried’s win splits control of the Minnesota House 67 to 67 between the DFL and Republicans.
National Democrats celebrated his win.
“David Gottfried’s victory tonight restores a tie in this ultra-competitive state House chamber and puts the DLCC and the DFL a step closer to our shared goal of taking back the majority in 2026,” Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee President Heather Williams told Fox 5.
New Democratic National Committee chair Ken Martin, who is also chair of the DFL, congratulated Gottfried as well. “As a proud Minnesotan, I’m honored to congratulate David Gottfried on his crucial special election victory. Minnesota is a shining example of what can happen under Democratic leadership: providing free breakfast and lunch for K-12 students, investing in mental health services, strengthening worker protections, establishing paid family and medical leave, and enshrining protections for reproductive freedom into law.”
The special election occurred because the district’s previous winner, Curtis Johnson, did not meet residency requirements.
Gottfried’s election progresses a months-long power struggle between the two parties that saw state House Democrats deny Republicans a quorum until they reached a power-sharing agreement. The compromise stipulated that both parties will co-chair committees with an equal number of lawmakers on each committee. A bipartisan vote would then be needed to advance bills.
MINNESOTA GOP WINS HOUSE SPEAKER ROLE AFTER WEEKS OF POWER SHARING STANDSTILL
Republican Rep. Lisa Demuth was elected state House speaker to serve for two years. She has been critical of DFL members, telling the Washington Examiner ahead of Tuesday’s special election that Minnesota House Democrats “ran roughshod over the will of Minnesotans” over the past two years.
The DFL has a one-seat majority in Minnesota’s Senate and Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) leads the state’s executive branch.