ST. PAUL, MN—Republicans earned a historic victory Tuesday, securing 76 seats in the Minnesota House of Representatives. This is the first election in more than a decade that Republicans held the House majority during a presidential election year[1] and it is the largest majority ever secured by Republicans during a presidential election year since Minnesota began partisan elections in 1974[2]. Speaker Kurt Daudt (R-Crown) and Majority Leader Joyce Peppin (R-Crown) were joined by members of the House Republican majority to celebrate the news at a press conference Wednesday.

"Thank you to voters across the state of Minnesota for entrusting Republicans with a historic majority in their House. Ultimately, voters chose compromise and Republican commonsense over single-party DFL rule, a clear sign to Governor Dayton that Minnesotans want a new direction,” said Speaker Daudt.

In another historic move, Minnesota voters elected the largest number of women ever to serve in the House[3] including three new Republican members, Representatives-elect Barb Haley (R-Red Wing), Sandy Layman (R-Grand Rapids), and Regina Barr (R-Inver Grove Heights). Of the six seats that flipped from Democrat to Republican, four were in Metro or suburban districts including Representatives-elect Keith Franke (R-St. Paul Park), Randy Jessup (R-Shoreview), Dario Anselmo (R-Edina), and Regina Barr (R-Inver Grove Heights).

“Throughout the campaign, Minnesotans expressed a near universal concern regarding rising health care costs and the broken MNsure system. House Republicans are listening and we are committed to tackling these and many other current challenges head-on,” said Majority Leader Peppin.

House Republicans welcomed four new members in open seats currently held by Republicans including Representatives-elect Matt Grossell (R-Bagley), Barb Haley (R-Red Wing), Nolan West (R-Blaine), and Tony Jurgens (R-Cottage Grove).

[1] Minnesota Legislative Reference Library, “Legislative Party Control: A Chart, 1901 to the Present,” November 2016.

[2] Minnesota Legislative Reference Library, “Party Control of the Minnesota House of Representatives, 1951-present,” November 2016.

[3] Minnesota Legislative Reference Library, “Women in the Minnesota Legislature by Legislative Session,” November 2016.