Minnesota Democratic Senate nominee?
$98.1K
AUG 12, 2026Primary Election
Party selects its nominee.
Overview
Current roleFormer State Representative
PartyDemocratic
Political ideologyProgressive Democrat
Age56 years old (May 27, 1970)
GenderFemale
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LocationMinnesota
BackgroundAttorney
EducationBlaine High School (1988)
Notable personal detailsMelissa Anne Hortman (née Haluptzok) was an American politician, attorney, and Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party leader who served in the Minnesota House of Representatives from 2005 to 2025, including as House minority leader (2017–2019) and Speaker of the House (2019–January 2025). She was born in Fridley, Minnesota, and was educated at Boston University (B.A.), the University of Minnesota Law School (J.D.), and Harvard Kennedy School (M.A.). She was killed on June 14, 2025.
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Positions
Economy & Taxes
Supports making Minnesota’s tax code more progressive by raising revenue from the wealthiest households and corporations to fund expanded investments in education, health care, and economic supports; has promoted creation of a new top income tax bracket for very high earners and refundable tax credits for families and climate actions. Emphasizes using surplus and new progressive revenue to fund ongoing public services and targeted relief for workers, families, seniors, and renters.
Healthcare
Supports expanding access to affordable, high-quality health care through a public option (MinnesotaCare buy-in), lowering out-of-pocket costs, addressing prescription drug pricing, and expanding coverage in public programs. Has sponsored and promoted legislation to allow Minnesotans to buy into MinnesotaCare and to reduce barriers to care.
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Immigration & Border
Has expressed opposition to family separations and criticized Trump-era border practices, while also casting a decisive vote in June 2025 to remove adult undocumented immigrants from eligibility for MinnesotaCare as part of a budget deal. Her record therefore contains both humanitarian/pro-immigrant statements and at least one significant action that restricted benefits for undocumented adults.
Abortion & Reproductive Rights
The candidate supports protecting and expanding access to abortion and reproductive health care, describes abortion as health care, and backed passage of the Protect Reproductive Options (PRO) Act to enshrine rights to contraception and abortion into Minnesota law. The candidate has also opposed Republican bills that would restrict reproductive freedom or funnel funds to crisis pregnancy centers.
Climate & Energy
Supports major clean-energy investment and ambitious emissions reduction goals, including policies to accelerate deployment of solar and storage, tax credits for clean-energy adoption, and a 100% carbon-free/zero-carbon benchmark for electricity by 2040. Advocates transitioning away from fossil fuels and funding climate adaptation and resilience programs. Has sponsored and promoted statewide climate action plans and legislation to expand renewable energy and climate finance tools.
Public Safety & Guns
Supports expanded criminal background checks on gun sales and creation/use of extreme risk (red flag) orders to keep firearms from dangerous people; advocates for common-sense gun violence prevention measures while working within the legislature. Emphasizes passing background-check and red flag legislation as part of broader public-safety bills.
News
Melissa Hortman is being mentioned in coverage about Democrats’ push to win more House seats in the 2026 midterms. The broader political focus is on coalition-building and efforts to support Democratic candidates against the Trump administration. Other Minnesota political news in the feed centers on the state’s lawsuit over Medicaid funding and the shifting 2026 Senate race, but no specific new action by Hortman is detailed.
MN sues to block Trump administration's withholding of Medicaid funds
Former GOP Chair David Hann drops out of U.S. Senate race
Minnesota sues to block Trump administration’s withholding of Medicaid funds
What the people who run elections are worried about ahead of the 2026 midterms
New updates coming soon
We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.
- Polls
- Endorsements
- Fundraising