Candidates file for Jan. 28 special elections with control of Minnesota Senate, House at stake

Pioneer Press on Jan 2, 2025

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ST. PAUL, Minn. — Two special elections for open seats in a Roseville House district and a Minneapolis Senate district have drawn a number of candidates with control of both chambers at stake.

Last month a Ramsey County judge ruled that Curtis Johnson was ineligible to serve for the House District 40B seat he was elected to in November due to residency issues. Johnson has declined to appeal the ruling, leaving the seat open.

Johnson’s GOP challenger in the November election, Paul Wikstrom, is running for the seat, as is DFLer David Gottfried.

Kari Dziedzic’s death last month following a battle with cancer left a vacancy in her Minneapolis Senate seat. Dziedzic, 62, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2023 and stepped down from the role of Senate majority leader earlier last year as she underwent medical treatment. Dziedzic represented Senate District 60 for more than a decade.

That race has drawn DFLers Peter Wagenius, Iris Grace Altamirano, Mohamed Jama, Emilio Cesar Rodriguez, Amal Karim, Joshua Preston, Monica Meyer, Doron Clark and Clay Morgan as candidates. Meanwhile, Republicans Abigail Wolters and Christopher Zimmerman also have filed for the seat.

They will all compete in a Jan. 14 primary for the chance to move on to the Jan. 28 election.

Gov. Tim Walz called for the special elections last month.

Also in the mix is a contested House race in Shakopee that has gone to trial with a ruling yet to come.

Meanwhile, Sen. Nicole Mitchell, DFL-Woodbury, has faced calls for resignation after she was charged with felony burglary last April in connection with a break-in at her stepmother’s home in Detroit Lakes. Mitchell, who is scheduled to stand trial later this month, has said she doesn’t plan to resign, even as DFL Chairman Ken Martin and DFL Gov. Tim Walz have called for her to step down.

The Minnesota Legislature starts its 2025 session on Jan. 14. At that time, Republicans will have a 67-66 majority in the House and the Senate will be tied at 33-33. But the outcomes of the special elections may change who controls each chamber.

The close margins for both parties come in a year when lawmakers have to fashion a state budget.

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