Legislative business in Minnesota’s 2025-2026 state House session began Tuesday at noon Central Time; or perhaps it hasn’t begun at all. It depends whom you ask.

The 66 members of the Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL)—Minnesota’s affiliate of the national Democratic Party—elected to the lower chamber did not show up Tuesday; these Democrats argue that work can’t begin until after a January 28 special election takes place to fill an open seat in a blue district.

With that seat unfilled, the Republicans lead the chamber 67-66. It’s a temporary advantage the party has vowed to use to try unseating Democratic state representative Rep. Brad Tabke, which could help them cement the GOP’s interim edge for the remainder of the term. Perhaps more importantly, Republicans used the Democrats’ absence on Tuesday to vote in a Republican House speaker.