Polls Open for DFL Primary to Replace Slain Minnesota Rep. Hortman

A special primary election was held on Tuesday to choose the DFL candidate for the Minnesota House District 34B seat left vacant after the assassination of House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband. The primary featured three DFL candidates: former Brooklyn Park Council Member Xp Lee, Brooklyn Park Council Member Christian Eriksen, and Hennepin County prosecutor Erickson Saye, with Xp Lee winning the DFL endorsement. They faced Republican Ruth Bittner, a local real estate agent running unopposed, in the special election scheduled for September 16. District 34B, covering parts of Brooklyn Park, Coon Rapids, and Champlin, has been a Democratic stronghold since 2018, and the outcome is pivotal for maintaining the 67-67 split in the Minnesota House. The accused, Vance Boelter, pleaded not guilty to the murder charges related to the shooting of the Hortmans. The election is also significant given other upcoming special elections for two Senate seats that could shift chamber control.