Democrat voters in the Brooklyn Park area have chosen a presumptive successor to fill the legislative seat left vacant after the assassination of Melissa Hortman.
Xiongpao “Xp” Lee earned nearly 60 percent of the vote on Tuesday evening in a special election primary among two other Democrats in House District 34B. The district includes most of Brooklyn Park and portions of Coon Rapids and Champlin.
Lee will move on to face Republican Ruth Bittner in a general election for the seat on Sept. 16.
Just more than 2,000 votes were cast in the special election primary. Lee earned nearly 1,200 of those votes against Brooklyn Park City Councilmember Christian Eriksen (24 percent), and Hennepin County assistant prosecutor Erickson Saye (16 percent).
Lee’s primary victory came after he won a pivotal endorsement battle last month from DFL delegates in the district, which Hortman had represented for more than 20 years before she and her husband Mark were murdered in their home on June 14.
Lee was also endorsed by a handful of DFL legislators, including Sen. John Hoffman, of Champlin, who survived an assassination attempt the same morning the Hortmans were murdered.
Gov. Tim Walz called for the special election for the seat in July.
“We face real challenges — ensuring quality healthcare for all and educational excellence for our children, building a strong economy that works for everyone, protecting our environment, and making sure our communities are safe and thriving,” Lee said in a statement following his DFL primary win. “I am committed to bringing our shared values to the State Capitol and working tirelessly to deliver results for you.”
General election opponents share contrasting priorities they’d bring to Capitol
An immigrant from Laos, Lee grew up in California and works as a health equity strategist for the Minnesota Department of Health. He said during a candidate forum last month said he’ll advocated for a statewide gun “buy back” program and would like to see ranked-choice voting implemented in every Minnesota election.
“We have to keep this seat ‘blue,’ and we have to work for everyday Minnesotans to keep (the DFL trifecta’s) vision moving forward, not only for Minnesota, but for the America we want.” Lee also said he will advocate for public “healthcare for all” at the Capitol.
At that same forum, Republican candidate Ruth Bittner listed fiscal responsibility in state spending, safety and security in communities and educational excellence as her top three issues she will bring the Capitol is elected to serve the district.
Bittner said lowering taxes and eliminating policies that contribute to inflation would be the two most effective ways to help working Minnesotans.
If Lee wins in the DFL-friendly district in September the House would return to a 67-67 tie. If Bittner were to win, Republicans would have a 68-66 majority for the upcoming legislative session.
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.
