Races in the Wright County and Woodbury districts could retain the DFL edge or flip control of the chamber with a Republican sweep.
Late Monday I posted a list of legislative districts in various states where special elections to fill vacancies are being held.
I didn't know at the time that the outcome of the two in Minnesota will determine which party controls the Minnesota Senate. Minnesota Democrats, known statewide as the DFL, need to win at least one of the two seats to keep control of the chamber.
Voters in a pair of Minnesota Senate districts — one in the eastern suburbs and another in Wright County — have the potential to reorder party control of a closely divided chamber. Coming in, Democrats had the narrowest of margins in their favor, with a 33-32 split. A Republican sweep would tip the scales in that party’s favor to go along with an evenly divided Minnesota House. The death of GOP Sen. Bruce Anderson and conviction of DFL Sen. Nicole Mitchell led to vacancies this summer. In Senate District 29, composed of exurban and rural communities in Wright County, Republican Michael Holmstrom Jr. and DFL candidate Louis McNutt are after the open seat. In recent contests, the district has favored GOP candidates. In Senate District 47, a region covering Woodbury and a section of Maplewood, DFL state Rep. Amanda Hemmingsen-Jaeger and Republican candidate Dwight Dorau are on the ballot.
[ ... ] Republican victories in both would give them the magic 34 seats to have the majority, which determines the party that holds committee chair posts, sets the legislative agenda and dictates which bills are prone to pass and those that get held back. Democrats were hoping an upset in the Wright County race could give them a bit of breathing room after years of nailbiter votes.
Elections have consequences and there is no such thing as an unimportant election.
If you live in MN Senate District 29, vote for DFL Louis McNutt. In MN Senate District 47, elect DFL Amanda Hemmingsen-Jaeger.