Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is now a candidate to be the next vice president of the United States. And should the Harris-Walz ticket win this fall, a series of changes would take place in Minnesota state government.
First, Governor Walz would need to resign. Once that happens, the Minnesota State Constitution clearly lays out what is next which starts with the elevation of the current lieutenant governor into the governor's office. That means Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan would fill the remainder of his term. But that's the easy part.
The Lieutenant Governorship would be filled by the President of the Minnesota Senate. Right now that is current DFL Senate President Bobby Jo Champion (Minneapolis).
University of St. Thomas Political Science Professor Tim Lynch says that has the potential to change hands though. That's because there is a special election this fall to fill Senator Kelly Morrison's (DFL- Deephaven) seat.
"There's just a lot of dominoes that could fall," Lynch explains. "But you know, whether or not they will fall is always subject to, we'll have to wait and see."
If Democrats retain control of the Minnesota Senate, Champion would become Lieutenant Governor.
Lynch says there is a delicate balance in the Senate right now.
"The Senate is currently split 33 to 33, so while most of the Senate is not up for election this year, there is a special election in that district which will determine the majority in the State Senate," Lynch said.
Complicating things further, Lynch also says the balance in the Senate could be impacted by whether or not Senator Nicole Mitchell heeds the growing calls to resign following her burglary charge earlier this year.
Looking ahead, if Harris-Walz defeat former President Donald Trump in the November Election and they end up in the White House, the ascension of both Flanagan and Champion could be historic.
Flanagan, a member of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe, became the highest ranking Native woman elected to an executive office when she became Lt. Governor in 2019 and would certainly become the first Native woman governor of a state in U.S. history. She would also be Minnesota's first female governor.
Champion, meanwhile, would become the state's first Black lieutenant governor if the Democrats maintain control of the Senate and Harris-Walz win.