Special election announced to fill Rep. Hortman's seat
Gov. Tim Walz has issued a writ of special election to fill Rep. Melissa Hortman's seat after her death.
The election will be held on Sept. 16, and if needed, a primary election will be held on Aug. 12.
Rep. Hortman served District 34B, which covered parts of Anoka and Hennepin counties.
BROOKLYN PARK, Minn. (FOX 9) - A special election will be held in September to fill Rep. Melissa Hortman's seat after her death.
What we know
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz issued a writ of special election Monday to fill the vacancy after the death of Rep. Hortman.
Rep. Hortman represented District 34B, which covers parts of Anoka and Hennepin Counties.
The special election will be held on Sept. 16, and if needed, a primary will be held on Aug. 12.
Those who would like to run for the seat can file with the Secretary of State from July 15 until 5 p.m. on July 22.
On July 7, Brooklyn Park City Council Member Christian Eriksen announced he is running for the Minnesota House Representative seat formerly held by Hortman.
READ MORE: Brooklyn Park city council member announces run for Hortman's seat
The backstory
Hortman and her husband Mark were fatally shot in their Brooklyn Park home on June 14. Sen. John Hoffman and his wife were injured in their Champlin home in the targeted attacks.
The man suspected of the shootings made his third appearance in St. Paul federal court on July 3. Vance Boelter, who is charged with six federal counts, including murder, told the judge he's "looking forward" to court, and for the truth and facts of June 14 to come out.
Boelter is also facing four state counts, including second-degree murder. He could also face first-degree murder charges, but must be indicted by a grand jury under state law.
READ MORE: Minnesota lawmaker shootings: Sen. John Hoffman released from hospital
Police say Boelter was disguised as a police officer when he entered the Hortman's home and fired the deadly shots. He then shot at Brooklyn Park Police officers and fled the area, leading to the largest manhunt in the history of Minnesota.
READ MORE: Minnesota lawmaker shootings: Read the full list of charges against Vance Boelter
What they're saying
The Minnesota House DFL released a statement Friday on the upcoming special election:
"This vacancy was created when Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark were assassinated in their home on June 14, 2025. The loss of the Speaker Emerita will never be filled. Yet, perhaps she, most of all, believed Minnesotans deserved the most fervent representation they could get. So, the Minnesotans in 34B deserve to be fully represented in St. Paul as soon as possible.
"Speaker Emerita Hortman was a world-class campaign strategist, and her example leaves us a blueprint to carry forward. The House DFL will knock on every door possible and make sure Minnesotans in 34B know how to make their voices heard in this election.
"DFLers are committed to winning this election for the people of 34B and ensuring a consistent balance of power is maintained for the state of Minnesota. The Minnesota House was tied until June 14, and the results of this election will, again, determine the balance of the House. After the chaos caused by some in St. Paul and Washington, D.C., Minnesotans deserve leaders who are solely focused on getting the work done that will make all our lives better."
The Source
A press release from Gov. Tim Walz's office, a statement from the House DFL, and past FOX 9 reporting.
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'We'll always have members of the congregation who don't agree with the position the synagogue has taken. But we feel it is our right and our duty to take positions on meaningful issues, in a non partisan way.' Concerns about endorsement Miami Gardens pastor Felix said he agrees with encouraging members to participate in the political system but draws the line at candidate endorsements. 'We have to be careful to not conflate God's kingdom with any one political party or candidate. If we do, our efforts will eventually prove to be misguided,' said Felix in an email to the Herald. Felix said he believes that pastors are responsible for 'providing moral leadership and clarity' on issues impacting the community — which may sometimes include advocating for justice and speaking 'on behalf of the marginalized and the underrepresented.' 'What unifies a diverse congregation is our common faith, not our political affiliation,' said Felix. Rabbi Jonah Dov Pesner, Director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, said one of his main issues with the IRS ruling is that it potentially can 'corrupt' institutions that have always remained non-partisan. 'Part of what makes them spiritually pure is that they stay non-partisan,' Pesner said. 'They're about values, morals, deeply held beliefs … but when money starts flowing into religious institutions to win partisan battles and elect individual candidates, it corrupts those institutions.' Pesner's concern about the potential for the decision to interfere with campaign finance was also echoed by Americans United for Separation of Church and State. 'Weakening this law would undermine houses of worship and nonprofits by transforming them into political action committees, flooding our elections with even more dark money,' the group wrote in a statement. Faith leaders 'can move the needle' One advocacy group, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, took steps last week to reverse the decision in the lawsuit by filing a motion to intervene. The nonprofit, which advocates for the separation of church and state and religious freedom, said the decision 'would grant favor and privilege to religious organizations and treat them differently than secular nonprofits.' 'The Trump administration's radical reinterpretation of the Johnson Amendment is a flagrant, self-serving attack on church-state separation that threatens our democracy by favoring houses of worship over other nonprofits and inserting them into partisan politics,' said AU President and CEO Rachel Laser in a statement. Laser went on to say that the Johnson Amendment 'protects the integrity' of elections and nonprofit organizations, including houses of worship. Many who spoke with the Herald pointed to recent polling that shows that most Americans want to leave politics out of the pulpit. According to a 2022 poll from Pew Research Center, 77 percent of U.S. adults said churches and other congregations should not make political endorsements. Majorities in both the Democratic and Republican parities and every religious group that was polled also said churches should avoid political endorsements. On the other hand, the National Faith Advisory Board, a faith coalition founded and led by Paula White Cain, senior advisor to President Trump in the newly established White House Faith Office, celebrated the move by the IRS, calling it a 'tax clarification' that was 'born out of faith leaders advocating for their God-given rights.' 'It is a crucial reminder that faith leaders can move the needle when it comes to influencing the law of the land. Our collective voice matters,' the organization wrote in a weekly newsletter. The newsletter also went on to advise its readers to avoid 'paid ads, public rallies hosted by your church and using church resources to endorse a candidate to the public.' The faith advisory board was founded during Trump's first presidency by White and says it communicates with over 70,000 faith leaders across the country. This story was produced with financial support from Trish and Dan Bell and from donors comprising the South Florida Jewish and Muslim Communities, including Khalid and Diana Mirza, in partnership with Journalism Funding Partners. The Miami Herald maintains full editorial control of this work.
