Minnesota’s House of Representatives will return to a tie after special elections for vacant seats in the east metro Tuesday night delivered two Democratic-Farmer-Labor wins.
In the special election to fill St. Paul’s House District 64A, DFLer Meg Luger-Nikolai won with more than 95% of the vote, according to unofficial results late Tuesday from the Minnesota Secretary of State’s Office. A little more than 4% of voters backed Republican candidate Dan Walsh.
Luger-Nikolai, a labor lawyer, received nearly 30% of the vote in a six-candidate DFL primary in December. Walsh, a St. Paul business owner, was the only Republican candidate.
District 64A, which includes the Union Park, Macalester-Groveland and Summit-University neighborhoods, was vacated by Kaohly Her after she won the St. Paul mayor’s race in November.
Undated courtesy photo, circa December 2025, of Meg Luger-Nikolai, a Democratic candidate in the special primary election for House District 64A on Dec. 16, 2025. The election is to replace Kaohly Her, who vacated her House 64A seat after being elected mayor of St. Paul in November 2025. (Courtesy of the candidate)
It was widely expected to remain in DFL hands. The party dominates St. Paul politics, and Her won four consecutive two-year terms with more than 80% of the vote.
With DFL wins in St. Paul and Woodbury’s House District 47A, the partisan balance of the Minnesota House will return to 67-67 between the DFL and Republicans.
Shelley Buck, the former president of the Prairie Island Tribal Council, was the sole candidate on the ballot in District 47A. She won a three-way DFL primary in December with around 88% of the vote.
Buck had 98% of the vote, according to unofficial results late Tuesday. The remaining votes were write-ins.
The 47A House seat was vacated when Amanda Hemmingsen-Jaeger successfully ran for an open Senate seat in District 47, which overlaps with House District 47A.
Minnesota’s Senate is currently divided 34-33 with the DFL at a one-seat advantage. With the House restored to a 67-67 tie, the balance voters delivered in 2024 will remain in place.
Prairie Island Indian Community President Shelley Buck speaks at the Treasure Island Center ribbon cutting in St. Paul on Jan. 16, 2018. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)
“Congratulations to Shelley Buck and Meg Luger-Nikolai on their special election wins. As the former President of the Prairie Island Indian Community, Shelley Buck brings unique leadership experience and perspective to the House DFL and will be a fearless champion for working families,” House DFL Leader Zack Stephenson said in a statement. “Meg Luger-Nikolai has dedicated her life and career to standing up for workers, defending public schools, and protecting access to affordable health care.”
The 2026 Legislative session is scheduled to begin on Feb. 17.
The past year has seen an unusually high number of special elections due to lawmakers winning election to new office, as well as vacancies from deaths, criminal cases and a candidate residency dispute.
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