ST. PAUL, Minn. – Minnesota’s new legislative session begins Tuesday, January 14, but there are still unknowns over how much of it will actually get started.
A political expert says jockeying by both parties over House control is likely a turnoff for voters. After last fall’s election, the Minnesota House was at an even split of 67 seats for Republicans and the DFL. But a Democratic winner stepped down because of residency rules, meaning temporarily, the GOP has a slight edge.
That has Republicans setting aside a power-sharing agreement, with DFL members threatening not to show up, citing a special election.
Hamline University’s David Schultz says this is the type of scenario that really feeds into why sometimes people think that the government just can’t get anything done.”
With the electorate growing more divisive, Schultz says both parties have incentives to appeal to their base voters. But for voters with a more open mind, he says the events unfolding resemble “grandstanding” by these elected officials.
Schultz adds that neither party is prepared to compromise, with recent sessions not providing an opportunity to sharpen those skills.
Comments