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New Minnesota senator Doron Clark sworn in, tipping control of chamber back to Democrats

Doron Clark projected to win special election, tipping MN Senate in DFL's favor
Doron Clark projected to win special election, tipping MN Senate in DFL's favor 00:33

ST. PAUL, Minn. — A new Minnesota state senator who prevailed in a special election last week took the oath of office on Monday, reinstating the Democrats' one-seat majority in the chamber.

DFL Sen. Doron Clark fills the seat left vacant by the death of Kari Dziedzic, the Democrats' former leader, who died in late December after a battle with cancer. He now represents Senate District 60, which covers northeastern parts of Minneapolis.

Until Clark's election, the chamber was tied 33 to 33. Leaders of both parties came to a power-sharing agreement at the dawn of session to organize the chamber and work during the first few weeks before the special election. There were DFL and GOP co-chairs of committees and two presiding officers filling in the Senate president's role from each party.

But that deal dissolved on Monday. Along party lines, the chamber passed a resolution to undo the terms of that agreement since Democrats now have a majority.

"We received that special election certificate today and in respect for the will of the voters, the people of Senate District 60, our new member, it is time to dissolve the power-sharing agreement," said Sen. Erin Murphy, DFL-St. Paul. "But what we've experienced together in these last weeks — the ability to balance our interests, to work together in committees, to build relationships with one another and to show Minnesotans that the Senate is open, ready to do its work and to work across the aisle with one another, to do the best work for the people of Minnesota — must continue."

One GOP amendment that failed would've delayed implementation by a week since committees were already scheduled for the week. Another amendment proposal that didn't pass would've kept the co-chairs of the capital investment committee, since any bonding bill that reaches the floor needs bipartisan support in the chamber.

"What I'm afraid will happen when this power-sharing agreement ends is we'll go right back into the partisanship we've been seeing over the last two years," said Senate Majority Leader Mark Johnson, R-East Grand Forks. "This has been a real experiment over the last three weeks — something that has put Minnesotans first again. We haven't seen that for two years. But we've done that."

Meanwhile in the state House, the power dispute that's kept the chamber at a standstill in recent days entered its fourth week on Monday. Democrats are still boycotting the session to deny Republicans the requisite number of members required to do anything, or a quorum, to keep them from acting on the one-seat advantage they have at least for now.

Voters in November delivered a 67 to 67 tie in the House, but Republicans gained a one-seat edge after a judge ruled the DFL winner in a Roseville-area seat didn't live in the district. That candidate didn't take the oath, creating a vacancy. A special election date hasn't been set yet, but it will likely happen in March. Gov. Tim Walz is expected to issue that writ for that special election on Wednesday.

The stalemate has already been before the Minnesota Supreme Court once and the justices will hear yet another petition on Thursday.

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