Minnesota House Democrats Choose Rep Zack Stephenson as New Leader After Hortman's Assassination

Minnesota House Democrats selected Rep Zack Stephenson as their new caucus leader following the assassination of Melissa Hortman. The selection was made in a closed-door meeting, where Stephenson, a protégé of Hortman, received the majority support from the 66 House Democrats. Other candidates for the position included Jamie Long, Tina Liebling, Dave Pinto, and Cheryl Youakim. Stephenson expressed honor at receiving his colleagues' support. The House DFL praised Speaker Hortman as an irreplaceable leader, strategist, colleague, and friend. Stephenson acknowledges the challenge of following Hortman and emphasizes the need for collective effort to honor her legacy and ensure Minnesota's success. He is expected to follow Hortman’s strategies, including fundraising and recruiting strong candidates. A special election on September 16 to replace Hortman in a Democratic-leaning district is expected to result in a 67-67 tie between Republicans and Democrats in the House. Stephenson will need to negotiate with Republicans for legislation, manage expectations within his own party, and fundraise for the 2026 campaign. If Democrats regain control of the House next year, Stephenson is likely to be a frontrunner for the House leadership. Stephenson, a cochair of the House Ways and Means committee, played a key role in budget negotiations with legislative leaders and Governor Tim Walz. He authored the 2023 House bill legalizing cannabis and enacted several consumer protections as the commerce committee chair in 2023-24. Additionally, he works as a Hennepin County prosecutor. There is a call for a special session on gun control following the mass shooting on August 27 at Annunciation Catholic Church.