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Politics and Government News
MPR News Staff

Democrats keep Dakota County seat in Minnesota House special election

A woman with glasses smiles
Bianca Virnig poses for a photo. On Tuesday, she won her special election in Dakota County.
Courtesy photo

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Updated Dec. 6, 6:52 a.m. | Posted Dec. 5, 9:04 p.m.

Democrats will retain a six-seat edge in the Minnesota House after school board member Bianca Virnig prevailed Tuesday in a special election for a seat encompassing parts of Dakota County.

According to unofficial results in the low turnout election, Virnig comfortably beat Republican Cynthia Lonnquist and Libertarian Charles Kuchlenz. With all precincts reporting, Virnig took 58 percent of the vote.

Virnig will fill the seat left open by the resignation of DFL Rep. Ruth Richardson, of Mendota Heights, midway through her term.

The outcome means the DFL will enter the 2024 session with a 70-64 majority. 

Virnig is a Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan School District board member. She had endorsements from several labor unions. She kept her messaging on local issues, focusing hard on resources available to public schools.

Republicans tried to pin decisions DFLers made in last year’s legislative session on Virnig, including the size and scope of a new state budget. The GOP also tested messaging around a costly renovation project of the State Office Building, which is set to begin soon.

All 134 House seats and control of the chamber are on the line in November; the state Senate and governor’s office that are controlled by the DFL now won’t be up again until 2026.

Correction (Dec. 6): This story has been updated to correct the number of House seats in the Minnesota Legislature.