Republicans are set to begin the year with at least a temporary majority in the Minnesota House after a newly elected Democrat resigned over his failure to meet the state’s residency requirements.
Democratic candidate Curtis Johnson told Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz in a Dec. 27 letter that he has decided not to hold out for a potentially positive decision in his appeal of a ruling by a Ramsey County district judge, who found last week that Johnson had failed to meet residency requirements and is ineligible to serve in the Minnesota House of Representatives.
“While I disagree with the conclusions reached by the District Court, I recognize that whatever the decision on appeal, the ultimate decision belongs to the Legislature, where it appears there is no viable pathway for me being allowed to retain my seat,” Johnson wrote. “Rather than dragging this out further, I have decided to resign now, so that a special election can be held as soon as possible and the people of 40B will be represented in the Legislature.”
Johnson added that his decision not to accept his seat in the Minnesota House and resign from the Office of State Representative would be “effective immediately and irrevocably.”
The resignation announcement formalizes Republican control of the Minnesota House by a one-seat margin of 67 to 66—at least for now. A special election to fill the vacancy will be held on Jan. 28, 2025, according to Walz’s office. If necessary, the special election will be preceded by a special primary election on Jan. 14, with a Dec. 31 deadline for submission to the secretary of state of affidavits of candidacy and nominating petitions.
Republican Rep. Lisa Demuth, poised to become House speaker with the GOP in control, expressed satisfaction that the judge’s ruling will remain in effect. Earlier, leaders from both parties had been negotiating a power-sharing agreement, anticipating a 67–67 split in the chamber.