Nine Days In And Still No House Democrats Inside The Minnesota Chamber

ST. PAUL (KVRR) — It’s been nine days since the legislative session began and still no Democrat House members have shown up at the Capitol.

The house was set to be exactly equal but a DFL win was thrown out over residency requirements, with a new election scheduled for March.

Republicans have a one seat majority until then.

DFL members are worried that they will use that force to unseat Democrat Rep. Brad Tabke, even though a judge upheld his election win.

So they’re refusing to show up until the Republicans guarantee the safety of Tabke’s seat.

“I don’t understand what the guarantee has to be. My job – if I was in a question with a seat like that – I would show up and see what happens. You know, our job for Minnesota when we get elected, is to show up. When you campaign all summer long, and you campaign all into the fall, and you tell people ‘I want to be a representative for your district, to be a voice at the Capitol,’ you show up,” said Republican Rep. Jim Joy of Hawley.

Governor Walz says he’s confident the two sides will hash out a deal soon, and that not much happens in the legislature until April anyway.