Two Influential Voices For Rural Minnesota

In a deeply polarized society, an equally split Minnesota House of Representatives might sound like a looming recipe for bitter debates, grandstanding on issues, and ineffectual government.
When the House convenes Jan. 14 at the state Capitol in St. Paul, it will mostly likely be with 67 Republicans and 67 members of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) Party. Both parties have already acknowledged the reality of this likelihood despite recounts and challenges continuing in two House races. It is not expected they will change the outcomes.
In the state Senate, the DFL holds a slim one-vote majority with 34 seats to the Republicans’ 33. Minnesota’s governor, Tim Walz, is also a Democrat.
However, it is the House that will play the key role in what is accomplished. Nothing will pass through it without bi-partisan support at every step of the way. The House speakership is being shared between the parties; each committee has shared chairs; and each committee has an equal number of members.
When legislation passes the House, it will either be with strong bi-partisan support, or by a fragile agreement that could fall apart should the Senate or governor oppose language in a bill. Both will signal the House early on what each thinks will be rejected without consideration should it make its way through the House.
We now have two influential local voices for western Minnesota in the state House who will play key roles in shaping legislation that could become law.
District 12A State Rep. Paul Anderson, Starbuck, has been named the Republican co-chair of the House Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee for the 2025 legislative session. His co-chair is the DFL’s Rep. Rick Hansen of South St. Paul.
District 9A State Rep. Jeff Backer, Browns Valley, will be the Republican co-chair of the House Health Finance and Policy Committee. DFL Rep. Robert Bierman, Apple Valley, will be its co-chair.
District 12A House includes all of Swift, Stevens, and Big Stone counties, all but the three northeast townships of Pope County, and 12 townships in western Stearns County. District 9A includes Traverse, Grant, and Wilkin counties and the western third of Otter Tail County.
Together, they represent a largely rural, agricultural, small business, and industry-dependent labor force region. All of us living here have a lot in common. Anderson and Backer will have powerful positions from which to seek legislation that helps address the challenges we face.
Memories of the 2024 session when the DFL used its majorities in both houses to push through legislation Republicans vigorously objected to but were powerless to stop left them angry. It simmers.
Still, current House Republican Leader Lisa Demuth, who is now slated to be the Co-Speaker of the House with the DFL’s Melissa Hortman, Brooklyn Park, says Republicans will work with DFL legislators, putting Minnesota first.
 “This is the opportunity for us to work together with our colleagues, the Democrats across the aisle, and find ways to best serve Minnesotans,” she is quoted by Minnesota Public Radio. Hortman agreed, saying she is optimistic about working with Demuth.
They have a monumental task in front of them Minnesotans and Americans have become uncompromising, angry, and mean-spirited in their politics. Social media and political TV talk shows, villainize those of the other party. Compromise can mean political death within a party as a reasonable person is driven out.
We desperately need open minds and a willingness to work for the betterment of all Minnesotans in the coming session. Walz has offered to do his part.
“I’m going to try even harder to keep an open mind and an open heart, to really listen to the folks who don’t support me or my policies, to work with everyone in the Legislature and seek compromise and common ground,” Walz said last month.
But these days, even words of conciliation and efforts to heal wounds are rejected. When we can’t give those of the other party even a chance to bring us closer together, whether Republican or Democrat, we are the root of the problem.
If Walz is serious about bringing Minnesotans closer together, he needs to spend some time in our rural communities, hearing from citizens, local governments, and businesses on their concerns.
And, at the end of each meeting he has to say, “Here is what you are telling me,” and list their concerns back to them so they know he listened. No one serving in government, local, state, or federal, can promise to solve all the problems or implement everyone’s political asks, but he can show he listened with respect.
Minnesota’s Legislature may also be facing the intrusion of federal issues on the state Legislature that could be disruptive to getting things done – immigration and abortion primary among them. It will make the job tougher.
The Center for Legislative Strengthening, under the heading of “In Case of a Tie…” offers the following advice Minnesota’s legislative members:
- View the situation as a challenge, not a dilemma. Have the attitude that you are going to make it a success.
- Study what other states have done to overcome the challenges of divided government.
- Begin negotiating as soon as possible. The negotiations will take time because this is a very stressful and often traumatic period. Have more than one person from each caucus on the negotiation team; this helps generate broader support for the final agreement.
- Put people who aren’t intensely partisan or ideological in leadership positions. Cooperation and productivity are more important than who gets the credit for each individual issue.
- Establish and maintain good communication; it is the key to avoiding problems.
- Let the public know what’s happening.
It will be essential that Republicans and Democrats deal with each other with respect, working for solutions for all Minnesotans while compromising on their hard positions. We are skeptical they can do this based on the recent history of the two parties and are deeply divided times.