The Republican Party of Minnesota is suing Gov. Tim Walz over the timing of a special election for a north metro House district that has been in the political spotlight in recent weeks.
On Saturday, the organization filed a lawsuit against Walz for prematurely calling a special election in response to Curtis Johnson losing his election contest in court last month. Republican legislators have been critical of the timing in which Walz issued a writ of special election for House District 40B. The complaint, which was filed in Ramsey County on Saturday, lists the Minnesota Voters Alliance as a co-petitioner.
The Republican Party of Minnesota said in a media advisory it will hold a press conference Monday afternoon at the Capitol. It will be the first press conference held by the party’s new chairman, Alex Plechash.
The lawsuit comes as candidates for the special election have begun lining up for a Jan. 14 primary and Jan. 28 general election, which Walz set in his writ he announced on Dec. 27.
On Wednesday, DFL Senate District 40 held an emergency convention and endorsed labor union activist David Gottfried, among a pool of five Democrats who filed to run for the seat. Gottfried had initially filed to run for the seat last February, but lost the district endorsement to Curtis Johnson. Paul Wikstrom, who successfully sued Johnson over his residency eligibility following the Nov. 5 election, was the lone Republican candidate who filed to run for the special election.
Alpha News has obtained the petition, which alleges that Walz “unlawfully issued a writ of special election for Minnesota House District 40B on December 27, 2024, and because Respondents are planning to unlawfully hold a special election on January 28, 2025, the Court should quash and declare invalid the writ, or order its recall, and enjoin any such special election from occurring on that date.”
The complaint also alleges that “no resignation or vacancy defined by statute has occurred. The incumbent for House District 40B, Rep. Jamie Becker-Finn, remains in the seat.”
The petition argues, referring to Minn. Stat. 204D.19, subd. 4, that: “A vacancy will result on or after January 14, 2025, because of a successful election contest against Curtis Johnson. Based on the present situation, 22 days after the first day of the legislative session, February 5, 2025, Governor Tim Walz can issue a writ of special election for House District 40B. Any writ issued prior to that is void for failing to comply with Minnesota Statutes section 204D.19.”
The parties are represented by lead attorneys Ryan Wilson and James Dickey. Ryan Wilson is handling the case for the Republican Party of Minnesota, and James Dickey is the attorney for the Minnesota Voters Alliance. Wilson and Dickey won an election integrity lawsuit prior to the 2024 general election that required Hennepin County to add additional Republican election judges to its absentee ballot board. Wilson was also part of President-elect Donald Trump’s legal team that successfully defended Trump against challenges to remove him from the ballot in Minnesota.
This is a developing story.
Hank Long
Hank Long is a journalism and communications professional whose writing career includes coverage of the Minnesota legislature, city and county governments and the commercial real estate industry. Hank received his undergraduate degree at the University of Minnesota, where he studied journalism, and his law degree at the University of St. Thomas. The Minnesota native lives in the Twin Cities with his wife and four children. His dream is to be around when the Vikings win the Super Bowl.
