Two Democrats with experience on the Brooklyn Park City Council have said they will run to fill a legislative seat made vacant following the murder of Rep. Melissa Hortman last month.
Christian Eriksen officially launched his campaign on July 7 and says he’ll seek the DFL nomination for the seat, just three weeks after a man shot and killed Hortman and her husband Mark early in the morning on June 14.
The suspect, Vance Boelter, has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder of the Hortmans and attempted murder of Minnesota Sen. John Hoffman and his wife Yvette. Sen. Hoffman left the hospital last week.
On Monday, a Minnesota Department of Health employee, Xp Lee, announced he’ll also seek to fill the House District 34B seat, which spans Brooklyn Park and parts of Champlin and Coon Rapids. Lee won a special election for a seat on the Brooklyn Park City Council in 2022, but chose not to seek reelection last fall.
Running with respect for ‘Melissa’s Seat’
In announcing his campaign, Eriksen acknowledged the tragedy and loss of Hortman, who represented Brooklyn Park and some of its surrounding areas for more than 20 years in the legislature.
“I know in our communities, this seat will endure as ‘Melissa’s Seat,’” Eriksen said. “It is with great respect to her legacy, as well as the legacy of all those whom have served before us, that I run for this office.”
Lee also paid tribute to Hortman, who he said “wasn’t just a powerful voice at the Capitol—she was our neighbor. Her legacy of principled, visionary leadership continues to inspire me. I’m committed to honoring her work and carrying forward the progress she helped build.”
“As a refugee, a union member, a father, and a public servant, I’m running because I believe our communities deserve bold, compassionate leadership that listens and delivers real results,” said Lee, who is a “health equity leader” at the Department of Health.
Eriksen was first elected to the Brooklyn Park City Council in 2022. Before that he served six years on the city’s Human Rights Commission. He lists St. Paul-based Luther Seminary as his current employer.
In a public statement on his campaign website, Eriksen said, “It is my goal to look at every issue facing state government through a lens of equity, inclusion, and social progress. Every action of the state government should center the full participation of every Minnesotan in our society.”
On Friday, Gov. Tim Walz issued a writ for a special election for the seat, which will take place Sept. 16. To date, no Republican candidates have announced they’ll run.
The state House was at a 67-67 tie between Republicans and Democrats at the close of the legislative session in May.
A special primary election, if necessary, will take place Aug. 12. The filing period for the election begins on Tuesday, July 15 and closes on July 22.
The seat held by Hortman has gone for Democrats by more than 20 points in each of the last two elections since it was redrawn in 2022.
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.
