Former Brooklyn Park city councilmember Xp Lee defeated two other DFL challengers in Tuesday's Special Primary Election in House District 34B, the seat formerly held by Rep. Melissa Hortman.
Tuesday's special primary election came nearly two months after Hortman was politically assassinated at her Brooklyn Park home alongside her husband, Mark Hortman.
Lee, the DFL-endorses candidate, won with nearly 60% of the votes defeating Hennepin County prosecutor Erickson Saye and Brooklyn Park city councilmember Christian Eriksen. Lee will now face Republican candidate and real estate agent Ruth Bittner in the September 16th special election.
In a Facebook post, Lee paid tribute to Rep. Hortman:
"I also want to take a moment to pay tribute to someone who has led this district with integrity, vision, and heart — my neighbor, friend, the late Speaker Melissa Hortman. Melissa has been a tireless champion for our communities, fighting for working families, investing in our schools, and protecting our environment. She has set a high bar for what it means to serve, and I am grateful for her years of leadership. Melissa, thank you for paving the way and inspiring so many of us to step forward."
St. Paul's City Council Special Election
Molly Coleman, the daughter of former St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman, won Tuesday's special City Council election in Ward 4 to replace former councilmember Mitra Jalali who resigned earlier this year.
Unofficial results showed Coleman won with about 52% of the votes, defeating three other challengers.
St. Paul uses ranked-choice voting, meaning Coleman automatically wins by capturing more than half of the votes.