New faces among legislative leadership

In the days following the election, each legislative caucus held its own internal meetings to nominate its leaders. Three of the four leaders will be brand new to the role. 

House Speaker Melissa Hortman (DFL-Brooklyn Park) will be the only returning legislative leader, after being nominated to serve her third term as speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives. On the other side of the aisle, Rep. Lisa Demuth (R-Cold Spring) will lead the minority caucus, replacing Rep. Kurt Daudt (R-Crown). 

In the state Senate, Sen. Kari Dziedzic (DFL-Minneapolis) will replace the retiring Democratic Senate leader, Sen. Melisa Franzen (DFL-Edina). Sen. Mark Johnson (R-East Grand Forks) will replace Sen. Jeremy Miller (R-Winona) as the leader of the Republican Senate caucus. 

Additional leaders of the caucus that have also been announced as of print include: 

  • Rep. Jamie Long (DFL-Minneapolis) as House Majority Leader 
  • Rep. Athena Hollins (DFL-St. Paul) as House Majority Whip 
  • Rep. Paul Torkelson (R-Hanska) as House Deputy Minority Leader 
  • Sen. Bobby Joe Champion (DFL-Minneapolis) as Senate President 
  • Sen. John Marty (DFL-Roseville) as Finance Chair 
  • Sen. Ann Rest (DFL-New Hope) as Tax Chair