Minnesota Capitol control up for grabs as voters decide all 201 legislative seats
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Capitol control hangs in the balance Tuesday as Minnesota voters decide who to send to the state Legislature for 2027. All 201 legislative seats are up for grabs.
After two years of the tightest possible split — with Democrats holding 101 seats and Republicans holding 100 — both parties plowed millions of dollars into the sweeping battle for the chamber majorities.
Democrats have held a one-vote edge over Republicans in the Minnesota Senate since 2023. The Minnesota House of Representatives had to share power after being in a 67-67 tie.
Unlike the last tie in 1979, this one stuck for two years. Partisan divisions were intense during the two-year term but lawmakers managed to pass a budget, a public construction projects bill and legislation to stabilize Minnesota hospitals.
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Policy messages and money
In races around the state, Republicans focused their messages on fighting fraud in state government programs and reducing spending. They said a legislative reset was needed since Democrats controlled the Capitol as the scope of a fraud problem unfurled.
Democrats, meanwhile, said they would work to blunt cost problems facing families and counter changes coming down from the Trump administration. They also committed to approving restrictions on federal agents following the surge of immigration enforcement agents in Minnesota.
Firearms regulations also factored into the party’s messaging. DFL leaders said those are needed following the 2025 mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church and School in Minneapolis. This was the first statewide election since the assassinations of DFL Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, and related attacks on Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette.
A flood of money cascaded into Minnesota to influence voters. Some state Senate races drew outside spending of $2 million to $3 million — comparable to the amount spent in some congressional and statewide elections.
The next class of state lawmakers will have work ahead of them in 2027. They’ll be tasked with writing the state’s next two-year state budget and could face strong financial headwinds.
Editor’s note: MPR News will update this story through the day and into Tuesday night as ballots are counted.
