House Speaker Melissa Hortman on how the 2019 legislative deal got done
In the weeks since adjournment of the 2019 Minnesota Legislature May 25, there has been plenty of speculation about what made it relatively successful.
Was it the personal relationships built by Gov. Tim Walz, House Speaker Melissa Hortman and Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka? Was it the experience in they gained mid-session by agreeing to abandon the MNLARS licensing software and replace it? Was it Gazelka’s late decision to give up his caucus’ opposition to extending the medical provider tax?
Yes.
But in an interview last week, Hortman (D) gave another reason, one that was decided before the session started. She and Gazelka decided to wait until 2020 to begin waging the 2020 election.
“He and I talked about this after the election, that there are factors outside of our control that will determine the fate of each of our caucuses in the next election,” said Hortman, a DFLer from Brooklyn Park. “And what we said to each other then, being the sort of practical people that we both are, is given that Donald Trump is going to have a major impact on what happens to us in 2020, how about we try to govern together well in 2019.”
Read more: https://www.minnpost.com/state-government/2019/06/house-speaker-melissa-hortman-on-how-the-2019-legislative-deal-got-done/