Minnesota House Democrats elected Rep. Zack Stephenson as their new caucus leader on Monday, ending a months-long vacancy after the assassination of former House Speaker Rep. Melissa Hortman.

Stephenson, a representative from Coon Rapids, was first elected to the Minnesota House in 2018. He’s an assistant Hennepin County prosecutor and was the key House sponsor of the 2023 bill that legalized recreational marijuana in Minnesota.

Undated courtesy photo from the 2025-26 Minnesota legislative session of Rep. Zack Stephenson, DFL-Coon Rapids. (Courtesy of the Minnesota House of Representatives)

In a news release on his election as caucus leader, Stephenson said he was honored to receive his colleagues’ support and described Hortman as “irreplaceable” as a leader and friend.

“While I’ve been chosen to lead, it will take all of us, working together, to move forward, honor Speaker Hortman’s legacy, and build a Minnesota where everyone can succeed,” he said. “We are all still grieving, but I am confident we can carry our shared work into the future.”

Stephenson, 41, chaired the House Commerce Committee when the DFL held the majority. He also co-chairs the influential House Ways and Means Committee, which reviews fiscal aspects of bills before they reach the House floor.

Before entering the legal profession and elected office, Stephenson managed Hortman’s first successful campaign for the state House in 2004 and worked as a staffer for U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar before attending law school at the University of Chicago in the late 2000s.

Hortman had led the House Democratic-Farmer-Labor Caucus since 2017, first as the minority party. Her party elected her speaker after they won a House majority in the 2018 election, and she served in that role until the beginning of this year.

Hortman lost the speakership after Republicans ended the DFL majority in the 2024 election, which delivered a House tied 67-67 between the parties. She continued to serve as House DFL leader.

Hortman and her husband, Mark, were killed by a gunman at their home in Brooklyn Park on June 14. The alleged shooter, who faces federal and state charges, also shot and injured state Sen. John Hoffman, DFL-Champlin, and his wife, Yvette, at their home.

House DFLers are currently in the minority, though the Legislature isn’t scheduled to convene until February unless DFL Gov. Tim Walz calls lawmakers back to the state Capitol for a special session on gun violence — something he has signaled could happen in the wake of deadly shootings at a Minneapolis Catholic church and school last month.

The House DFL currently has 66 seats to Republicans’ 67, and that balance will remain until the Sept. 16 special election for Hortman’s former seat in House District 34B, which includes Brooklyn Park as well as parts of Champlin and Coon Rapids.

It’s widely expected that the DFL candidate, Xp Lee, will win that race and return the balance to 67-67.

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CHICAGO — The stage was set for young quarterback J.J. McCarthy to make the Chicago Bears pay for passing on him twice in the 2024 NFL draft. After cheering for them as a kid growing up in La Grange Park, Ill., McCarthy had a chance to beat them in front of a national television audience in primetime.

Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy celebrates after scoring during the second half of an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears Monday, Sept. 8, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

It looked like any chance of that went up in flames shortly after halftime when McCarthy threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown.

To that point, the Vikings had been an abject disaster on offense. The potential passing attack that has become synonymous with head coach Kevin O’Connell was nowhere to be found. The rebuilt running game that was touted for the past few months was rendered completely ineffective.

Not exactly a recipe for a comeback.

But the Vikings kept hanging around and hanging around, and when McCarthy found a rhythm they unleashed a fourth-quarter tidal wave on the Bears. The result? A stunning 27-24 win for the Vikings at Soldier Field.

In the end, McCarthy completed 13 of 20 passes for 143 yards and a pair of touchdowns, to go along with a couple of carries for 25 yards and a touchdown on the ground.

Though it wasn’t the sexiest stat line on the surface, McCarthy most importantly showed his moxie, staring adversity directly in the face and emerging victorious.

The slow start for McCarthy caused an overreaction on social media, with a chunk of the fan base labeling him a bust. There wasn’t much to write home about as McCarthy’s nerves seemed to get the best of him for prolonged stretches.

Aaron Jones Sr. #33 of the Minnesota Vikings runs into the end zone for a touchdown during the game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Sept. 08, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

On the other end, quarterback Caleb Williams showcased how dangerous he can be when the play breaks down, escaping pressure and rushing for a touchdown to put the Bears up 7-0 in the early stages.

Meanwhile, as the Vikings continued to struggle mightily on offense, their best play to that point was a pass interference penalty that gained them 42 yards and set up a field goal from Will Reichard to trim the deficit to 7-3.

A field goal from Cairo Santos stretched the Bears’ lead to 10-3 before McCarthy finally showed some life with a 31-yard completion to receiver Jalen Nailor. That set up a 59-yard field goal from Reichard to cut the deficit to 10-6 at halftime.

Then came the rookie mistake from McCarthy that momentarily flipped the game on its head.

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson, left, catches a touchdown pass as Chicago Bears defensive back Kevin Byard III (31) defends during the second half of an NFL football game Monday, Sept. 8, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

After moving the Vikings into scoring position, McCarthy tried to rip a ball to the sideline, and cornerback Nahshon Wright undercut the route and returned it 74 yards for a touchdown to make it 17-6 in favor of the Bears.

A missed field goal from Santos kept the door ajar, however, and the Vikings came storming through.

After a few nice runs from running back Jordan Mason, McCarthy threw the first touchdown pass of his career, a strike to Justin Jefferson that cut the deficit to 17-12 after a failed conversion.

The Vikings’ onslaught continued as McCarthy found running back Aaron Jones for a deep touchdown pass on the next possession to make it 20-17.

The next time McCarthy got the ball back, he showcased his legs, taking a read option 14 yards into the end zone to stretch the Vikings’ lead to 27-17.

Chicago Bears defensive back Nahshon Wright (26) runs to score a touchdown against the Minnesota Vikings during the second half of an NFL football game, Monday, Sept. 8, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Kamil Krzaczynski)

Though the Bears got a touchdown late on a pass from Williams to Rome Odunze to make it 27-24, the Vikings walked away with a win. And McCarthy started his career like he has at pretty much every stage of his life.

With a win.

 

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Scott County authorities say a surveyor working along a New Market Township roadway was fatally struck by a vehicle late Monday morning.

According to the sheriff’s office, the 44-year-old Minneapolis man, who wasn’t immediately identified, was hit by an SUV shortly before noon at Texas Avenue and 230th Street East.

Investigators say a 58-year-old man from Lonsdale was driving a 2025 Chevrolet Equinox north on Texas Avenue when he hit the surveyor.

Other motorists stopped at the scene and rendered aid until medics arrived. However, the victim was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the Equinox was not injured.

Preliminary investigation didn’t find evidence that drugs or alcohol were factors. The Minnesota State Patrol is assisting with the investigation.

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