This special election was called to fill the vacancy created when Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark were assassinated in their home on June 14, 2025.
WASHINGTON — Today, the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) announced Xp Lee as a Spotlight candidate ahead of the majority-making special election to the Minnesota House on September 16th.
This will be the second majority-deciding special election in the closely-divided Minnesota House this year, after DLCC Spotlight Candidate David Gottfried’s victory restored a tie in the chamber in March. A DFL win would restore a tie to the chamber once again and honor the will of voters who are still mourning Speaker Emerita Hortman.
Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee President Heather Williams issued the following statement:
“The circumstances for this special election are tragic, and DFLers across Minnesota – along with the DLCC – continue to grieve the loss of Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman, the most consequential Speaker of the Minnesota House. As we continue to honor her legacy by fighting for the well-being of every working family across the state, the DLCC is proud to uplift Xp Lee in this important special election. The DLCC is committed to supporting Minnesota DFLers every step of the way, now and into 2026 when all 134 House District seats will be up for election.”
Xp Lee (HD-34B) is a health equity analyst running in a September special election to fill a vacancy in the Minnesota House created by the assassination of Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman. Xp is committed to honoring her legacy by continuing her work as a champion for all Minnesotans. Xp is a strong advocate for increased access to education, affordable health care for all, and green economic policies and investments in the tech industry to create wealth-building opportunities for working families. If he is elected, Xp will do his part to keep Minnesota on a path to a brighter future.
The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) is the campaign arm of Democratic state legislatures and leads the national strategy for building power and winning new majorities. Over the last three decades, we have strategized cycle over cycle to win majorities and lead the effort to bring national attention and investment to our ballot level, winning nearly a dozen new chamber majorities over the last decade. Our work has ensured that nearly half of Americans are represented by at least one Democratic majority in their statehouse. State legislatures are the building blocks of our democracy and have the closest connections to Americans’ day-to-day lives. From protecting fundamental freedoms and voting rights to growing the middle class and advancing opportunity, the DLCC and state legislators are moving the Democratic agenda forward and shaping the future of this country.
###
