Olson: House Speaker Lisa Demuth on a New Era Without Melissa Hortman

A New Chapter for Minnesota House Leadership

Lisa Demuth, the Republican minority leader in the Minnesota House, took on a new role as speaker at the beginning of the 2025 legislative session. This marked a significant moment as she presided over a historic tie between the parties. Her DFL counterpart, Rep. Melissa Hortman of Brooklyn Park, had been a consistent and strategic presence across the aisle throughout all three sessions. Unfortunately, Hortman was tragically assassinated on June 14, leaving a profound void in the political landscape.

The news of the shootings hit Demuth hard. She reflected on how her first instinct would have been to reach out to Hortman, asking for guidance and input. However, that opportunity was no longer available. Each “first” without Hortman—whether it was the first meeting, negotiation, or return to the chamber—has carried a heavy emotional weight. Despite the challenges, Demuth emphasized that the work of governing continues.

From her early days as minority leader during the 2023 session, when the DFL held control of both chambers and the governor’s office, Hortman made it clear that Demuth would not be sidelined. She insisted on weekly meetings, which were acts of respect and eventually built a foundation of trust. In an interview at her Capitol office, Demuth recalled these early interactions. While the DFL could have easily ignored her, Hortman chose to invite dialogue and open communication.

Their relationship was not always smooth, but Demuth acknowledged that she learned from Hortman’s grace and leadership. This partnership became even more critical during the 2024 election night when it became clear that the House would be evenly split. At 2:30 a.m., Hortman reached out to Demuth, emphasizing the need for a plan to govern together and avoid the dysfunction seen in Minnesota’s last tied House in 1979.

Although the process was not always easy, Demuth and Hortman maintained a collegial and candid relationship in private. Publicly, the weeks leading up to the 2025 session were tense as partisan control shifted and election disputes played out in the courts. The DFL boycotted the Capitol, delaying the start of the House session. Demuth described the timeline as almost fictional.

Despite the challenges, the legislators managed to complete the main business of passing a two-year budget deal in a single-day special session. Demuth expressed pride in the cooperation and bipartisanship that led to this achievement, noting that it was impressive given the circumstances.

A defining Republican victory was the removal of MinnesotaCare coverage for undocumented adults, a decision that was devastating for Democrats but nonnegotiable for Demuth. There was little time to celebrate, as the special session ended on a Monday. By Saturday morning, Hortman, her husband, Mark, and their dog, Gilbert, were gone.

Demuth received condolences and respect from elected leaders across the country, many of whom had known or met Hortman during her long career. Since then, Demuth has focused on balancing time with her large family, sharing photos of her grandsons fishing, while also dealing with the grief and aftermath of the shootings.

This was not the first time Demuth had encountered deadly gun violence. Two of her children were students at Rocori High School in 2003 when a freshman student fatally shot two of their classmates. Her kids returned to school after it reopened.

While these experiences have shaped her perspective, they haven’t definitively influenced her views on security measures. When asked about installing magnetometers at the Capitol for weapons screening, Demuth said, “I don’t have a direct way that I feel about it right now.”

Demuth will remain speaker through the 2026 session regardless of any changes in the House composition through special elections. The DFL will eventually select a successor to lead the party’s House caucus. The question of increasing Capitol security will be an early test.

Meanwhile, Demuth is focused on helping the institution recover. She spoke about giving staff and lawmakers space to process the tragedy, avoiding quick legislative responses. “Everybody is going to process and react to things a little bit differently,” she said. “But this is an opportunity for people to pull together and even if you don’t ideologically agree on things, you can still pull together and understand that grief is different.”

Demuth said she is doing OK, “because you have to be.” She hopes to maintain the sense of unity that followed the tragedy, however fragile. “Extending grace is probably what it’s going to take,” she said.