Is the Minnesota House tied at 67-67, Part II?

Here we go again. In my previous article, I questioned whether the Minnesota House of Representatives 67 DFL members and 67 GOP representatives. This article is asking a similar question but in a different district.

Alpha News is reporting "A judge declined to dismiss a contentious election lawsuit last week that was filed against Minnesota Democrat Curtis Johnson, paving the way for three days of hearings into whether or not he lives in the district he was elected to represent." Here we go again. Let's dig into this different story. the article continues, saying "Johnson defeated Republican Paul Wikstrom in last month’s election for Minnesota House District 40B. However, after the election, Wikstrom filed an election contest lawsuit against Johnson. In it, Wikstrom says his campaign team gathered evidence showing that Johnson resided at his Little Canada home, outside the district, in the run up to the election."

Now for the evidence:

“Contestee failed to establish residency and remain in the district six months prior to the general election or maintain residency 30 days prior to the general election. Contestee falsely claimed residency within the district for which he sought elective office, intending to affect the voting at the election,” Wikstrom’s complaint says.

Devastating Testimony

For instance, one witness, Williamson said, had “two videos per day of [Johnson’s] car in the driveway” of his Little Canada home.

Others testified that they placed tape on the apartment that Johnson leased in the district in October and it remained sealed for over a week. They provided photographic evidence that supported their claims.

A neighbor said in court documents that she observed Johnson for many months while she was ill and bedridden. She outlined that she watched Johnson keep a “typical 9 to 5 type schedule” at his home in Little Canada for months leading up to the election. “His car would be parked in the driveway all night and into the morning,” the neighbor said.

KARE11 filed this report:

If the evidence submitted by Wikstrom is validated, then the House, at least temporarily, will have a 67-66 GOP majority. That might not seem like a big deal but it is. If the House GOP passes an election or tax reform bill while in the majority, they can then tell the DFL that the other bills won't move until their bill is accepted. With a 67-67 tie, each passed bill potentiallyl becomes a piece of leverage. If the DFL tries watering an election reform or tax reform bill down, that puts them in a difficult position in 2026.

If the judge rules that Johnson lived outside the district, the judge could also call for a special election. That special election might not get held until the middle of the budget session. By then, bill deadlines might be approaching, putting more pressure on the DFL. Each setback puts the DFL in a difficult position. The thing now is that the DFL is embroiled in a pair of election contests. That's a difficult thing to work around.