Work in Minnesota’s legislature has come to a standstill as lawmakers in the state House fight over who actually holds the majority in the state’s lower chamber. 

Republicans currently enjoy a one-seat majority in the House, but with a special election yet to be decided and a threat to not seat one lawmaker, leaders have yet to reach a power-sharing agreement. 

The fight began on January 14 as the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party sought a power-sharing agreement under the Republicans’ 67-66 seat majority and has continued with no clear end in sight.

Republicans tried to conduct business with 67 members present, one short of the 68 needed for a quorum, as Democrats boycotted the proceedings. Despite not having the required number of lawmakers present, Republicans elected a speaker and set up committees without any Democrats on them.

The Minnesota Supreme Court, however, put an end to the proceedings with a three-page opinion that invalidated Republicans’ work. On Monday, the stalemate stretched into its third week as Republican and DFL leaders again failed to reach an agreement. 

The drama has led to criticism of both parties for how they handled the situation. A former Minnesota governor, Tim Pawlenty, called the situation a “clown show” during an interview with WCCO.

“If you get elected to do your work and represent the people, you gotta show up,” he said. “If the Democrats’ main argument is you can’t really do anything until you have 68 votes…then why can’t you show up and stand behind that perspective? What are you afraid of if no business can be conducted until one side has 68 votes? On the one hand, they’re arguing you gotta have 68 votes to do any business, and on the other hand, they’re not willing to show up even with one side being short of that. So, it’s very frustrating, it’s a clown show.”

The DFL has proposed a deal to let Republicans retain control of committees and keep the speakership until a special election in March, which the DFL insists it will win and bring the chamber back to a tie. After the special election, the speakership would be split between the parties under the proposed deal. 

A sticking point in the discussions is that Republican leaders have not said whether they will unseat a DFL state representative, Brad Tabke, who narrowly won his election by 14 votes. They have pointed to 20 absentee ballots that went missing in one precinct and suggested there should be another election to determine who should hold the seat. 

A judge has ruled Mr. Tabke’s victory is valid, and his Republican opponent has stated he accepts the ruling and will not try to appeal it. However, Republicans in the House have declined to say whether they will do the same. A decision to not seat Mr. Tabke could help Republicans keep their one-seat majority, at least temporarily. 

The House DFL leader, Melissa Hortman, criticized Republicans for trying to make the most out of their current one-seat majority, telling the Star Tribune, “The Minnesota House Republicans would like to continue to run the House as though they had a majority after we’re tied at 67-67.”

Meanwhile, Republicans have chastised DFL members for not showing up at all. When one House member, Harry Niska, was asked about whether his party would unseat Mr. Tabke, he responded, “Brad Tabke is the only one who is unseating Brad Tabke right now.”

The drama has not been contained to the House either. The Minnesota Senate became the source of drama as the chamber has been operating under a power-sharing agreement since December when a DFL senator, Kari Dziedzic, died, which led to a tie there as well.

A special election is being held to fill the vacancy left by Dziedzic. However, on Monday, Republicans tried and failed to expel a DFL state senator, Nicole Mitchell, who has been charged with first-degree burglary for allegedly breaking into her stepmother’s home last year. Ms. Mitchell has pleaded not guilty and refused to resign, and has also survived previous attempts to expel her from the chamber. 

While the parties haggle over control of the chamber, they are facing a deadline of May, when their legislative session adjourns, to pass their two-year budget. 

This is not the first time Democrats in Minnesota have resorted to extreme tactics. In 1857, Republicans wanted to move the Minnesota Territory’s capital from St. Paul to the city of St. Peter. To stop Republicans from moving the city, Joseph Rolette absconded with the bill to run out the clock and block on the proposal.