Republicans Stand Firm

I don’t always get to use that post title. We have seen way too many instances when Republicans did not stay strong. But today in Minnesota, House Republicans did us all proud.

As we have written about here and elsewhere, Minnesota Democrats have staged what is in effect an illegal coup in a desperate attempt to retain control over the state’s House of Representatives. Relegated to minority status because one of their candidates was caught cheating and therefore disqualified by a court, they have chosen not to participate, in hopes of bringing the House to a standstill.

Today the House convened for the opening of its 2025 session. All 67 Republicans were present; not a single Democrat chose to attend. Minnesota’s partisan Democrat Secretary of State, Steve Simon, has the ceremonial duty of convening the House. Simon abused that ceremonial role by purporting to find that there was not a quorum, and suggesting that the House should adjourn. That suggestion, which he has no legal authority to make, was based on absurd legal reasoning, as I explained in the post linked above.

Having delivered his ill-founded advice, Simon fled the premises. Republicans then took over. Majority Leader Harry Niska took the gavel and announced the presence of a quorum. The members who were present–all Republicans–then elected Lisa Demuth as Speaker. They adopted rules for the session and conducted a few other items of business, and will return tomorrow to continue the 2025 session.

At some point, the Democrats will come skulking back to the Capitol to assume their minority status. Meanwhile, the Republicans have called their bluff, and the Democrats’ attempt to bring the House to its knees failed. At the moment, there are only 67 sworn members of the House of Representatives, all Republicans. The Democrats held a fake swearing-in ceremony on Sunday afternoon, conducted off-premises by a retired judge. That farcical proceeding had no legal significance; the real swearing-in ceremony was conducted today in the Capitol, as specifically provided by state law. The Democrats didn’t show up.

I think we saw a turning point in Minnesota political history today–turning in the right direction, because Republicans stood strong. For more, check out the podcast below, recorded live from the state Capitol immediately following today’s dramatic events.

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