Melissa Hortman, shepherd of historic 2023 session, called Minnesota House Democrats' 'captain'

Christopher Vondracek, The Minnesota Star Tribune on Jun 14, 2025

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MINNEAPOLIS — Melissa Hortman, the top Democratic leader in the Minnesota House, was shot and killed with her husband by a gunman on Saturday morning.

“My good friend and colleague, Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, were shot and killed early this morning in what appears to be a politically motivated assassination,” Walz said at a news conference. “Our state lost a great leader and I lost the dearest of friends.”

Hortman, 55, served as House speaker from 2019 to 2025 and during the historic 2023 legislative session, shepherded marquee legislation, such as universal free school lunches for children statewide and a red flag gun law.

When Democrats lost control of the House in last November’s elections, Hortman struck a deal to share power with Republicans that had her step aside as speaker. The session ended after final bills were passed in a special session this week.

“Melissa was very charismatic and serious but also like a captain of a team. I’m devastated,” said state Rep. María Isa Pérez-Vega, DFL-St. Paul.

Hortman was known at the State Capitol for a sharp intelligence and political skills that bridged divides between moderates and progressives in the Democratic caucus. She stewarded major DFL priorities on protecting the environment and codifying abortion rights.

An attorney, Hortman and her husband had two children. She grew up in the Twin Cities’ northern suburbs, working at her family’s used auto parts company in Blaine during the summers. She attended Boston University and spent time working in Washington, D.C., for then-Sens. Al Gore and John Kerry.

Hortman went on to study law and worked as an attorney and vice president of her family’s company. In 2004, she won her swing district seat in the House after several bids.

Remembrances of Hortman poured in on Saturday.

“I met her in 2016 when I first ran for the House,” said Sen. Aric Putnam, DFL-St. Cloud. “She was so gregarious and funny and focused and even telling me she didn’t want to do politics anymore but always wanted to be a teacher.”

Putnam recounted attending a fundraiser with Hortman, where she blocked the path of an opposing campaign’s “tracker” who was looking to take incriminating photographs.

“She was perfectly poised and funny about it to stop him,” he said.

Former House colleague Ryan Winkler wrote on X: “Melissa and Mark were just wonderful people, and Melissa was a selfless leader. The shock and loss of this assassination will reverberate but I can’t believe they are gone. Yes, this is political violence, and there are a lot of us who just lost very close friends.”

Hennepin County Commissioner Heather Edelson remembered serving for six years with Hortman in the House.

“I saw her and Mark just two days ago — both happy that session had adjourned and looking forward to a summer they will now never see,” she said. “Their children will never see their parents again.”