Fraction of Minnesota House races will determine balance of power at state capitol
CHANHASSEN, Minn. — Before there were trick-or-treaters in Chanhassen and Chaska Thursday, there were two other people knocking on doors asking not for candy, but for votes.
DFL Rep. Lucy Rehm and GOP challenger Caleb Steffenhagen are in the final sprint to the finish trying to shore up as much support as possible in this sliver of the state. Rehm is seeking her second term, and Steffenhagen — a political newcomer — is looking to unseat her and help Republicans win back a majority in the state House.
All 134 seats in the chamber are on the ballot this fall. But only about a dozen — like District 48B covering all of Chanhassen and parts of Chaska — are competitive. Roughly half of those are in the Twin Cities metro.
Local races like this one don't grab headlines, but the outcome impacts school funding, taxes, health and human services and much more. Control of the state legislature is at stake and voters in these battlegrounds will decide if total DFL control of state government should stay or go.
"It's a really important race, I think, in our area because they know that the person that you send to the state capitol really affects your community and how the schools are run and how you live your life," Rehm said.
The first-term Democrat highlights investing in education, making health care affordable and fighting climate change as her top three issues, as well as protecting abortion rights, which Democrats were quick to do when they took power of the House, Senate and governor's office in 2022. Rehm also said she meets Republicans unsatisfied with the party under former President Donald Trump who are willing to vote for her and other Democrats.
Democrats have 70 seats and Republicans hold 64. The GOP only needs to flip four to take back the speaker's gavel. Leaders in both caucuses projected confidence in a recent WCCO interview.
Steffenhagen, a school teacher and member of the National Guard, worries about high taxes and lagging test scores among students. He condemned Democrats' record spending and said he meets voters want to end the trifecta after two years of progressive policy wins.
"I hear it at the doors every day. People want divided government. They want someone who is going to not just vote down party lines," he said. "And that's what was promised in 2022 and then instead it was one party, one control, one voting style."
Both the House Republican and Democrats' campaign committees boast fundraising records this cycle, but the DFL has a significant financial edge.
A September Minnesota Star Tribune poll found voters are almost evenly split in their opinions with 49% saying they approve of how Gov. Tim Walz and the Democrats in the legislature have governed since winning back the state Senate in 2022. And 47% say they disapprove.
Lawmakers in the state Senate are not up for re-election this fall; they serve four-year terms. There is one special election for the seat left vacant by DFL Sen. Kelly Morrison, who stepped down to run for Congress.
If Republicans triumph in that race, it would tip power in their favor. Democrats had just a one-seat majority before Morrison resigned.