A special election taking place in the north metro on Tuesday is expected to bring the Minnesota House of Representatives back to a 67-67 tie among Democrats and Republicans.
Former Brooklyn Park City Council member and DFL activist Xp Lee is the favorite to win the vacant House 34B seat against GOP businesswoman Ruth Bittner.
Lee, a health equity officer for the Minnesota Department of Health, has raised more than $71,000 for his campaign in less than 60 days, twice the amount Bittner has raised, according to campaign finance records — indicating that Democrats weren’t willing to take any chance on losing the seat that was long held by DFL House leader Melissa Hortman.
Gov. Tim Walz called the special election for the seat in July, just a few weeks after Hortman and her husband Mark were assassinated in their home early in the morning of June 14.
The special election takes place with a backdrop of a potential special session on gun control following the Aug. 21 attack at Annunciation Catholic Church and School.
Lee backed by DFL establishment amid far-left policy priorities
While Lee is expected to win the House 34B seat this week, a handful of policy positions and statements he’s made over the summer are raising eyebrows.
Lee was the only candidate during a forum in August to endorse statewide ranked choice voting. He also said he wants to see universal healthcare and a statewide gun “buyback” program.
In June, Lee wrote on his personal Facebook page, “Tuck Frump #8647 now.” In another post, he said, “86 47 #NoKings #Abolish ICE.” The phrase “86 47” is widely viewed as a call for assassinating President Donald Trump.
“If you’re the FBI director and you don’t know what that meant? That meant assassination. And it says it loud and clear,” Trump said after former FBI Director James Comey posted an image of a shell formation that spelled out “86 47.”
Lee also shared a YouTube video that said “the United States of Israel is about to start WWIII” against Iran.
Over the weekend, Gov. Tim Walz, Sen. Amy Klobuchar and DFL Party Chair Richard Carlbom attended a door-knocking event for Lee.
Bittner, who holds a leadership position with the Third Congressional District Republicans, told Alpha News this summer that “in these uncertain and partisan times, families want the security of jobs, predictable housing, quality education, and safer communities.”
“Constituents don’t need a candidate with an agenda who only plans to implement that agenda in St. Paul,” Bittner added.
Editor’s note: a previous version of this story inaccurately reported the campaign fundraising totals for Ruth Bittner. The story has been updated to reflect the correct fundraising totals.
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.
