MINNEAPOLIS — Democrat Xp Lee won a Minnesota House special election on Sept. 16, 2025, securing the seat left vacant by an assassinated legislator and preserving an evenly divided chamber, The Associated Press reported.
Lee’s victory maintains the state House’s split control, leaving no single party with a clear majority. The Minnesota House has 134 seats, and the outcome of the special contest kept the chamber deadlocked, a development that will shape committee rosters, legislative scheduling and negotiations ahead of the coming session.
The seat opened after a state lawmaker was killed earlier this year, prompting state leaders to schedule the special election to fill the vacancy. The outcome had been closely watched by both parties because it was capable of shifting the balance of power in the lower chamber. With Lee’s win, existing arrangements to manage an evenly divided House are expected to remain in place.
State legislative ties typically require power-sharing agreements that determine committee leadership, the flow of legislation and procedural rules. In previous instances of divided control in Minnesota and other states, parties have negotiated to allocate committee chairs, set rules for floor consideration and establish mechanisms for resolving ties on key votes. How lawmakers will address those practical questions in the current session will depend on negotiations between party leaders in coming weeks.
The special election was among several recent contests across the country that have drawn attention for their potential to affect razor-thin legislative margins. Special elections often draw smaller electorates than regular elections, and parties frequently intensify outreach and spending when a single seat can alter control of a chamber.
With the seat now filled, state representatives will move forward under the maintained balance. Lawmakers and party officials declined to offer detailed public statements about next steps immediately following the result, and legislative leaders will need to confer on committee assignments and procedural arrangements consistent with the House’s evenly split composition.
The Associated Press reported the result. The outcome leaves both parties with an equal number of seats in the Minnesota House, ensuring that negotiations over power-sharing and legislative priorities will continue to be central to the state’s political landscape in the months ahead.