In a petition to the Supreme Court, Democrats in the state House accuse Republicans of acting "unlawfully" when they conducted House business on Tuesday, including electing a speaker, with no DFL members present.

The debate over whether Minnesota House Republicans acted lawfully when they elected a speaker is headed to the state Supreme Court. Democratic-Farmer-Labor Secretary of State Steve Simon and the House DFL have filed lawsuits to stop Republicans from taking control of the House for the next two years,

The move by the DFL, which is unprecedented in Minnesota state politics, intends to block Minnesota House Republicans from electing State Rep. Lisa Demuth, their leader, to House Speaker while the party holds a temporary, one-seat advantage.

The Minnesota Legislative Session entered its second day on Wednesday, as did an organized boycott by House DFL members. The ongoing power dispute comes as Republicans have established themselves a structural majority in the House.

Following the contentious first day of the 2025 Minnesota Legislative session, where members of the DFL failed to show, partisan tensions are rising as lawmakers claim House Republicans attempted to select a speaker.

On January 14, 2025, the DFL filed a lawsuit asking the state Supreme Court to declare that Republicans acted unlawfully when they organized the house in the absence of a quorum.

Half the Minnesota House chamber stands empty as DFL lawmakers made good on their threats to not show up for the opening session at the State Capitol in St. Paul on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. Republicans moved ahead Tuesday and elected D.

As the clock struck noon on Tuesday, all desks were empty in the DFL half of the House chamber; Republicans pressed ahead declaring a quorum.