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By Kate Plummer
Senior US News Reporter
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Democrats have won two special elections for the Minnesota House of Representatives as the state reels from President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown.
Meg Luger-Nikolai, an attorney, won House District 64A on Tuesday with more than 95 percent of the vote, according to The Associated Press. Her Republican opponent Dan Walsh secured around 4.4 percent.
Meanwhile, Shelley Buck, a former president of the Prairie Island Indian Community's Tribal Council, won an election for House District 47A with 97.6 percent of the vote. Buck ran uncontested in her election.
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The elections come amid backlash to the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis by federal agents this year.
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Why It Matters
The Democratic wins mean the Minnesota House of Representatives is restored to an even partisan split. The parties will now operate under a former power-sharing agreement.
While the Democrats will not be able to implement their policy agenda without Republican support, the results mean they hold more power in the chamber and can block Republican policies.
What To Know
While the elections were in blue-leaning districts, Luger-Nikolai won her contest with a much higher proportion of the vote compared to the previous election in November 2024. Then, Democrat Kaohly Vang Her won with 83.2 percent of the vote.
The two elections took place after the Democrats who previously held the seats were elected to other offices in November, leaving them vacant.
The victories were clinched days after Pretti, an intensive care nurse, was shot dead by a federal immigration agent in Minnesota on Saturday during an enforcement operation.
His killing was the second fatal shooting by a federal officer in the city this month, following the January 7 death of Renee Nicole Good.
The Trump administration has faced pressure over its response to the killing. Trump has sent border czar Tom Homan to the state, and numerous high-profile politicians have called for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to be abolished.
What People Are Saying
Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin said in a statement: "My community is hurting — but we are also fighting and showing up, for each other and at the ballot box. With Representative-elect Buck and Luger-Nikolai's victories, Minnesotans now have two more Democratic champions who will fight to lower costs, protect health care, and protect our community from federal overreach and violence.
"It's never been more important that Democrats use every tool at our disposal to stand up to Donald Trump and his spineless allies, especially here in Minnesota, as they try to separate and divide us. While Republicans tank our economy and foment chaos, Democrats are on the side of working families. We will organize and we will win across Minnesota in 2026 and beyond."
What Happens Next
A series of midterm elections will take place across the country - including in Minnesota - in November 2026.
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