Democrats claimed two wins in special elections for the state Legislature on Tuesday, even as Minnesota faces a storm of controversy concerning federal immigration actions.
Shelley Buck and Meg Luger Nicolai secured victories in Districts 47A and 64A, respectively. With these wins, the balance of power in the Minnesota House now stands at an even 67 seats for both parties.
Nicolai received an impressive 95% of the vote, while Buck went unopposed.
Currently, the Legislature is functioning under a power-sharing agreement between Republicans and Democrats. Though Lisa Demuth remains the speaker of the House, many committees will now feature co-chairs from both political sides.
Just days before the elections, federal agents shot and killed Alex Preti in Minneapolis. This incident marked the second such shooting of an American by federal agents in the city within the month.
On Tuesday, President Trump’s administration provided Congress with a report detailing the timeline of the shooting. During an operation known as Operation Metro Surge, Border Patrol and Customs agents were active in Minneapolis.
Reports indicate that Border Patrol attempted to detain Preti, who allegedly resisted, leading to a confrontation. Eyewitness accounts mention an agent repeatedly shouting, “I’ve got a gun!” before shots were fired.
Following the incident, Border Patrol confirmed that Preti had been armed, and after the shooting, her weapon was removed and stored.
This event prompted President Trump to restructure federal leadership in Minnesota, sending border czar Tom Homan to Minneapolis. However, the White House insists that the overall enforcement strategy in the state remains unchanged, asserting that there’s no retreat from immigration actions.
White House Press Secretary Abigail Jackson described Homan as a dedicated patriot, stressing that the administration will not falter in enforcing law and order to protect Americans.
Even with the changes surrounding Homan’s role, Trump has declined to dismiss him from the Department of Homeland Security, despite requests to do so.
