MINNEAPOLIS – Gov. Tim Walz officially called a special election Friday for a Senate seat vacated by Sen. Kelly Morrison, who resigned to focus on her congressional campaign.
The outcome of the battle to replace her in the Legislature could determine who controls that chamber, where Democrats have a slim majority.
Morrison announced her resignation on social media Thursday evening. She is seeking to replace U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips, a fellow Democrat, to represent the Third Congressional District, which includes the northern and western suburbs of the Twin Cities.
Phillips announced he would not seek re-election to Congress amid his long push to defeat President Joe Biden as the Democratic nominee for president.
Because she resigned before a key deadline at the end of this week, the special election to fill her seat falls on the same day as the general election on November 5.
“This will save taxpayers the cost of a special election and allow voters to more easily participate in choosing a new senator,” Morrison said. “It was an honor to serve the people of SD45.”
Her Senate district includes Minnetonka, Orono, Excelsior and other communities around Lake Minnetonka.
WCCO
Morrison, an obstetrician-gynecologist from Deephaven, had served two terms in the Minnesota House before being elected to the Senate in 2022. She won the DFL’s endorsement and no longer faces a primary challenger after Ron Harris withdrew and threw his support behind Morrison. .
Her departure from the Legislature leaves the Senate evenly split 33-33 between Republicans and Democrats, although lawmakers ended the session late last month.
The special election outcome could determine who controls the House – if Democrats maintain their one-seat majority or if Republicans successfully end the election. the state government’s DFL trifecta.
There are no other Senate seats up for re-election because they serve four-year terms; Meanwhile, every seat in the Minnesota House is on the ballot, with Republicans maintaining party control in that chamber, where the DFL has held the gavel since 2019.
Morrison easily won her Senate seat in 2022 by more than 12 points. However, the suburbs she represents are traditional battleground states that have significant influence on the outcome of elections.
This is a development story. Stay with WCCO.com for more information.
