At least we were spared from having to witness a U.S. Vice President doing this over the next four years:
With Democrat VP candidate Tim Walz now having to come home to Minnesota to reassume his current job as the state's governor, the dynamic will be a little different than the previous two legislative sessions.
As I write this, Minnesota Republicans have flipped three DFL-held MN House seats to forge a 67-67 tie in that legislative body. With two DFL seats (14B in St Cloud and 54A in Shakopee) subject to a recount (incumbents have miniscule leads in both), there's a nonzero chance the GOP could seize the majority when it's all said and done. But for this exercise, let's assume the membership remains deadlocked. If House Republicans stay unified, it's possible the only substantive legislation to get through this next biennium would be the 2025 state budget. This means the DFL would actually have to (GASP!) garner GOP input if any bills are to make it to the governor's desk. For my money, gridlock is far preferable to the buffet of lunacy that sailed through the 2023 and 2024 sessions.
With Walz still smarting from being part of a losing presidential ticket, thus having to return to Minnesota with his tail tucked between his legs, how will he handle national leftists (and many media members) no longer fawning over him now that access to the "buffet" has been blocked? I've heard from many legislators how thin-skinned the guy is in addition to his being a bad faith negotiator. Granted, those traits weren't as apparent the past two years since DFLers gave the wave off to any GOP input. But since Walz no longer has the luxury of turning his back on the right these next two legislative sessions, my guess is he'll be downright pissy over the next couple of years. And if he intends on seeking a third term for governor, how is he going to navigate his reelection message if he's shown to not being able to work well with others?
One final thought: what happens if Sen. Nicole Mitchell (DFL-Woodbury) is ultimately forced to step away due to issues surrounding her alleged felony burglary? With the Dems holding a scant 34-33 majority in the MN Senate, that would leave both chambers deadlocked. It would be quite entertaining to hear which party comes up with the more creative way to label their political opposites as "obstructionists."
While I always lament the beginning of a Minnesota legislative session, I gotta confess that I'm pretty intrigued by the 2025 gathering. Popcorn's poppin'.
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