Strong suburban showing puts DFL in control of House

The DFL will control the Minnesota House of Representatives in the 2019-20 biennium.

Winning a number of key races in the Twin Cities suburbs, the DFL picked up 18 seats in Tuesday's elections and will hold a 75-59 advantage when the House convenes Jan. 8, 2019.

The DFL last controlled the House during the 2013-14 biennium.

Much of the change occurred in the Twin Cities suburbs, especially near and just off the Interstate 494-694 corridor, where DFL candidates beat incumbent Republicans in places like Burnsville, Eden Prairie, Edina, Lakeville, Plymouth, Rosemount, Stillwater and Woodbury.

Three races were within 250 votes: Rep.-elect Carlie Kotyza-Witthuhn (DFL-Eden Prairie) beat Rep. Jenifer Loon (R-Eden Prairie) by 241 votes with 20,577 votes cast; Rep.-elect Kelly Morrison (DFL-Deephaven) beat Rep. Cindy Pugh (R-Chanhassen) by 216 votes with 23,372 cast; and Rep.-elect Shelly Christensen (DFL-Stillwater) beat Rep. Kathy Lohmer (R-Stillwater) by 137 votes in a race where 22,630 votes were cast.

[MORE Election Day 2018 photo gallery]

In northern Minnesota, former DFL House member John Persell edged Rep. Matt Bliss (R-Pennington) by eight votes in District 5A. There were 16,903 votes cast in the race — including seven write-ins.

Per state law, "A publicly funded recount of the results of an election for a state legislative office may occur if the difference in the number of votes cast for the apparent winning candidate and any other candidate is less than one-half of 1 percent (0.5 percent)."

Election results are not official until they have been certified by the state canvassing board. That is scheduled to occur Nov. 27.

A directory of 2019-20 members-elect is now available online.

Office numbers and committee assignments for the 2019-20 House will be determined in coming weeks by the incoming majority.

New House members (some who served previously) of the 2019-20 Legislature, by district:

Rep.-elect John Persell (DFL-Bemidji)

Rep.-elect Dave Lislegard (DFL-Aurora)

Rep.-elect Lisa Demuth (R-Cold Spring)

Rep.-elect Dan Wolgamott (DFL-St. Cloud)

Rep.-elect Shane Mekeland (R-Clear Lake)

Rep.-elect Jeff Brand (DFL-St. Peter)

Rep.-elect Todd Lippert (DFL-Northfield)

Rep.-elect Kelly Morrison (DFL-Deephaven)

Rep.-elect Kristin Robbins (R-Maple Grove)

Rep.-elect Kristin Bahner (DFL-Maple Grove)

Rep.-elect John Heinrich (R-Anoka)

Rep.-elect Zack Stephenson (DFL- Coon Rapids)

Rep.-elect Ami Wazlawik (DFL-White Bear Township)

Rep.-elect Shelly Christensen (DFL-Stillwater)

Rep.-elect Samantha Vang (DFL-Brooklyn Center)

Rep.-elect Kelly Moller (DFL-Shoreview)

Rep.-elect Ginny Klevorn (DFL-Plymouth)

Rep.-elect Patty Acomb (DFL-Minnetonka)

Rep.-elect Ryan Winkler (DFL-Golden Valley)

Rep.-elect Greg Boe (R-Chaska)

Rep.-elect Carlie Kotyza-Witthuhn (DFL-Eden Prairie) 

Rep.-elect Heather Edelson (DFL-Edina)  

Rep.-elect Steve Elkins (DFL-Bloomington) 

Rep.-elect Michael Howard (DFL-Richfield)

Rep.-elect Ruth Richardson (DFL-Mendota Heights)

Rep.-elect Tou Xiong (DFL-Maplewood)

Rep.-elect Steve Sandell (DFL-Woodbury)

Rep.-elect Anne Claflin (DFL-South St. Paul)

Rep.-elect Brad Tabke (DFL-Shakopee)

Rep.-elect Hunter Cantrell (DFL-Savage)

Rep.-elect Alice Mann (DFL-Lakeville)

Rep.-elect Robert Bierman (DFL-Apple Valley)

Rep.-elect John Huot (DFL-Rosemount)

Rep.-elect Mohamud Noor (DFL-Mpls)

Rep.-elect Jamie Long (DFL-Mpls)

Rep.-elect Hodan Hassan (DFL-Mpls)

Rep.-elect Aisha Gomez (DFL-Mpls)

Rep.-elect Kaohly Her (DFL-St. Paul)

Rep.-elect Jay Xiong (DFL-St. Paul)