Melissa Hortman
Melissa Hortman | |
|---|---|
Joe Hoppe | |
| Constituency | District 47B |
| Personal details | |
| Born | May 27, 1970 Fridley, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Mark Hortman |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Boston University (BA) University of Minnesota (JD) Harvard University (MPA) |
| Website | State House website Campaign website |
Melissa Hortman (born May 27, 1970) is an American politician and former
Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives. A member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL), Hortman represents District 34B in the northern Twin Cities metropolitan area, which includes the cities of Brooklyn Park, Champlin and Coon Rapids and parts of Anoka and Hennepin
Counties.
Hortman served as
minority leader from 2017 to 2019[1][2] and as speaker from 2019 to 2025. From the start of the 94th Legislature in January 2025 until early February, she led a boycott of House sessions to deny Republicans a quorum to conduct business.[3] After a power-sharing agreement was reached, Hortman served again as minority leader until March 17, when a special election created a tie between the parties in the House; her title then changed to "DFL Leader" and she was granted significant powers alongside Republican Speaker Lisa Demuth.[4]
Early life, education and career
Hortman was born in
magna cum laude in 1991, a Juris Doctor from the University of Minnesota Law School, cum laude, in 1995, and a Master of Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School in 2018.[1][5]
Hortman worked as an intern in the United States Senate for Al Gore and John Kerry, and clerked for Judge John Sommerville while in law school. She served on the Brooklyn Park City Human Relations Commission and worked as an assistant county attorney for Hennepin County.[1]
Minnesota House of Representatives
Hortman was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2004 and has been reelected every two years since. She first ran unsuccessfully in 1998, and again in 2002. She defeated one-term Republican incumbent Stephanie Olsen.[1]
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Hortman served as an assistant majority leader from 2007 to 2010 and as minority whip from 2011 to 2012. From 2013 to 2014 she served as House speaker pro tempore and chaired the Energy Policy Committee. She served as deputy minority leader from 2015 to 2016. After
minority leader from 2017 to 2018. When the DFL caucus retook the majority in the 2018 election, her colleagues elected her Speaker of the House.[1][6]
In her first term, Hortman was an outspoken advocate for the
Electoral history
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic (DFL) | Melissa Hortman (incumbent) | 8,278 | 51.30 | −3.44pp | |
| Republican | Linda Etim | 7,030 | 43.56 | ||
Independence
|
Don Hallblade | 822 | 5.09 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic (DFL) | Melissa Hortman (incumbent) | 12,382 | 54.74 | −1.12pp | |
| Republican | Andrew Reinhardt | 10,187 | 45.04 | +1.04pp | |
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic (DFL) | Melissa Hortman (incumbent) | 9,269 | 55.86 | +4.96pp | |
| Republican | Andrew Reinhardt | 7,301 | 44.00 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic (DFL) | Melissa Hortman | 10,846 | 50.90 | +7.30pp | |
| Republican | Stephanie Olsen (incumbent) | 10,444 | 49.01 | −2.66pp | |
Honors and accolades
Hortman won awards from the 2020 caucus for her bipartisan work.[17] She has also won awards from Conservation Minnesota.[18]
Personal life
Hortman and her spouse, Mark, have two children. She resides in
Catholic and has taught Sunday school in Blaine.[19]
References
- ^ a b c d e f "Hortman, Melissa - Legislator Record - Minnesota Legislators Past & Present". www.lrl.mn.gov. Retrieved 2023-04-12.
- ^ "Rep. Melissa Hortman (34B) - Minnesota House of Representatives". www.house.mn.gov. Retrieved 2023-04-12.
- ^ "Republicans override Simon's adjournment of House, elect Demuth as speaker". ABC 6 News. 14 January 2025. Retrieved 14 January 2025.
- ^ https://www.kaaltv.com/news/minnesota-house-power-sharing-agreement-takes-effect/
- ^ "After engineering the DFL suburban wave, Melissa Hortman sets sights on 2019 legislative session". Twin Cities. 2018-12-29. Retrieved 2019-01-21.
- ^ Bakst, Brian (November 9, 2018). "New House DFL leaders hail from suburbs". Minnesota Public Radio.
- ^ "The Voter's Self Defense System".
- ^ "2012 Candidate Grades (General Election) « Gun Owners Civil Rights Alliance".
- ^ "The Voter's Self Defense System".
- ^ Bierschbach, Briana. "Hortman brings experience, quiet irreverence to speaker's chair". www.mprnews.org. Retrieved 2019-01-20.
- ^ "HF 729 Status in the House for the 88th Legislature (2013 - 2014)". www.revisor.mn.gov. Retrieved 2019-01-20.
- ^ "HF 956 Status in the House for the 88th Legislature (2013 - 2014)". www.revisor.mn.gov. Retrieved 2019-01-20.
- ^ "State Representative District: 47B". Minnesota Secretary of State. Archived from the original on April 21, 2013. Retrieved February 3, 2013.
- ^ "All Races by Legislative District - Representative District: 47B". Minnesota Secretary of State. Archived from the original on December 17, 2011. Retrieved February 3, 2013.
- ^ "State Representative District 47B". Minnesota Secretary of State. Archived from the original on March 14, 2021. Retrieved February 3, 2013.
- ^ "Results for State Representative District 47B". Minnesota Secretary of State. Archived from the original on February 10, 2012. Retrieved February 3, 2013.
- ^ "News and Views from Melissa Hortman (DFL) 47B - Minnesota House of Representatives". House.leg.state.mn.us. 2005-10-07. Retrieved 2010-07-20.
- ^ "Conservation Minnesota Voter Center || Legislative News". Mnweathercenter.org. Archived from the original on 2011-07-27. Retrieved 2010-07-20.
- ^ "About Melissa". Melissa Hortman for State House. 2017-11-06. Retrieved 2020-10-11.
External links
- Melissa Hortman at Minnesota Legislators Past & Present
- Official House of Representatives website
- Official campaign website
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