There's yet another twist to the contentious start to Minnesota's 2025 legislative session.
According to WCCO political reporter Blois Olson, Republicans in the Minnesota House of Representatives don't have enough votes to prevent Brad Tabke from taking office, which he said may eventually lead Democrats to end their boycott of the legislative session.
"If Republicans don't have the votes, then, arguably Democrats could go back this week and work under the Republicans having the majority, even if they didn't have a power-sharing agreement," Olson told Vineeta Sawkar early Monday on the WCCO Morning News.
The session gaveled in last week at the state capitol building in St. Paul, but Democrats have not come to the capitol after taking the oath of office in private a day earlier.
Nearly half of the seats in the chamber have been empty during the first week of the session.
Tabke won his House race in the southern Metro, beating Republican Aaron Paul by 15 votes, a margin confirmed by a recount.
That was disputed by the GOP when it was determined that 21 ballots were accidentally thrown out during the election, but a judge ruled that discrepancy wasn't enough to have a new election.
"We talked to several members of the GOP that say they would not vote to reject Tabke," Olson said. "Therefore, Republicans wouldn't have the votes to unseat him."
Tabke winning the seat that represents Shakopee gives Republicans a 67-66 edge in the Minnesota House of Representatives, with one more seat to be filled in a special election.
Democrats believe their candidate will win that post, forging a 67-67 tie in the House.
Republicans so far have refused to craft a power-sharing agreement, prompting Democrats to boycott the session.
The special election to fill the seat in the north metro was scheduled by Gov. Walz to take place Jan. 28, but the state supreme court ruled late last week that the governor acted to quickly and voided the election.
"Democrats will be short that one seat for five, six more weeks," said Olson.
DFL'er Curtis Johnson won the seat that represents Roseville by a wide majority, but he agreed not to take the oath because of a residency issue.
With that slim majority, House Republicans have already filled some high-level leadership posts, including naming Lisa Demuth House Speaker.
Gov. Walz last week said they respect the ruling of the court on the Roseville seat special election, which will likely be held sometime in March.