Former Brooklyn Park City Council member Xp Lee, a political ally to the late Speaker Melissa Hortman, will succeed her in representing District 34B at the Minnesota House of Representatives following a landslide win on Tuesday.
Lee, a Democrat, defeated Republican political newcomer Ruth Bittner by winning over 60 percent of the vote. Just over 26% of the district’s 26,596 registered voters took part in the election with unofficial results showing Lee receiving 4,331 votes to Bittner’s 2,785. Five write-in votes were also cast.
Lee’s win ensures the House will remain tied at 67 seats for each party, ending the brief one seat majority the GOP enjoyed while the House was adjourned.
The seat became vacant after Hortman’s assassination in June. She had represented the district for two decades since being elected in 2004. The district includes parts of Brooklyn Park, Champlin and Coon Rapids.
Following Hortman’s death, Gov. Tim Walz issued a writ of special election for the seat on July 11 setting September 16 as the special election date – setting in motion a compressed campaign period. On the Democratic side, the race drew three candidates with Lee winning the Democratic primary after having won the DFL endorsement earlier. The Republican primary was uncontested.
Last week Gov. Walz brought the state’s Democratic top brass including U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar to the district to campaign for Lee.
After all precincts had reported within an hour of polls closing, Lee took to social media to declare victory and thank supporters.
“Tonight, the people of Brooklyn Park, Champlin, and Coon Rapids have spoken—and I am deeply honored and humbled to be elected as your next State Representative,” Lee said. “To the voters who put their trust in me—thank you. I will work every day to earn and honor that trust.”
During the brief campaign period, Lee said he will continue to fight for the issues that Hortman advocated for including affordable healthcare and economic opportunity, something he reiterated on Election night.
“I want to take a moment to pay tribute to Speaker Melissa Hortman,” Lee said. “Her leadership and dedication have paved the way for progress in Minnesota, and I am proud to carry forward that spirit of service and commitment to our communities.”
The Legislature officially reconvenes on February 17, 2026, although Gov. Walz is considering calling a special session to discuss gun control measures following the August shooting and death of two students at Annunciation School in Minneapolis.
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About Tom Gitaa Gitaa, Editor-in-Chief
Born and raised in Kenya's coastal city of Mombasa, Tom is the Founder, Editor-in-Chief and Publisher of Mshale which has been reporting on the news and culture of African immigrants in the United States since 1995. He has a BA in Business from Metro State University and a Public Leadership Credential from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. He was the original host of Talking Drum, the signature current affairs show on the African Broadcasting Network (ABN-America), which was available nationwide in the United States via the Dish Network satellite service. On the show, he interviewed Nobel laureates such as 2004 Nobel Peace prize winner, Professor Wangari Maathai, the first woman from Africa to win the peace prize and heads of states. Tom has served and chaired various boards including Global Minnesota (formerly Minnesota International Center), the sixth largest World Affairs Council in the United States. He has previously served as the first Black President of the Board of Directors at Books for Africa. He also serves on the boards of New Vision Foundation and the Minnesota Multicultural Media Consortium. He has previously served two terms on the board of the United Nations Association. An avid runner, he retired from running full marathons after turning 50 and now only focuses on training for half marathons.
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