Melissa Hortman

Melissa Hortman (born May 27, 1970) is an American politician and the Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives. A member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL), she represents District 36B, which includes portions of Anoka and Hennepin counties in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. Prior to the 2018 elections, she served as Minority Leader of the Minnesota House of Representatives.

Melissa Hortman
61st Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives
Assumed office
January 8, 2019
Preceded byKurt Daudt
Minority Leader of the Minnesota House of Representatives
In office
January 3, 2017 – January 7, 2019
Preceded byPaul Thissen
Succeeded byKurt Daudt
Member of the Minnesota House of Representatives
from the 36B district
47B (2005–2013)
Assumed office
January 4, 2005
Preceded byStephanie Olsen
Personal details
Born (1970-05-27) May 27, 1970
Fridley, Minnesota, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse(s)Mark Hortman
Children2
EducationBoston University (BA)
University of Minnesota (JD)

Education

Hortman graduated from Blaine High School in Blaine, Minnesota in 1988. She earned bachelor's degrees in Political Science and Philosophy from Boston University, graduating magna cum laude in 1991, earned a Juris Doctor from the University of Minnesota Law School, cum laude, in 1995,[1] and a Master of Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School in 2018.[2]

Minnesota House of Representatives

Hortman won her first term by narrowly defeating Republican incumbent Stephanie Olsen in the 2004 general election by 402 votes out of over 20,000 cast. She had previously lost to Olsen in the 2002 election. She has been re-elected every two years since then.

In her first term, Hortman was an outspoken advocate for the Northstar Commuter Rail line, which runs through her district. She also supported a new stadium for the Minnesota Twins. She has been an advocate of environmental issues and in the effort to bring the 2020 Summer Olympics to Minnesota. She is adamantly pro-choice,[3] supports gun control policies,[4] and opposes voter identification initiatives.[5] In 2008, Hortman managed the DFL floor operation during a successful attempt to override then-Governor Tim Pawlenty's veto of a gas tax increase.[6] She was chair of the House Energy Policy Committee during the 2013-14 biennium, and was the chief author of the state's solar energy standard and community solar laws.[7][8]

After the 2006 election, Hortman was chosen by her peers to serve as one of eight assistant majority leaders in the House.[1] She was again chosen to serve in this capacity after the 2008 elections. She has also served as speaker pro tempore for many of the House sessions. She served as a minority whip during the 2011-2012 legislative session.[9] She was elected by her caucus to be minority leader following the 2016 election. After her caucus gained enough seats in 2018 to retake the majority, they designated her Speaker.[10]

Electoral history
Minnesota House of Representatives 47B district election, 2010[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic (DFL) Melissa Hortman (incumbent) 8,278 51.30 −3.44pp
Republican Linda Etim 7,030 43.56
Independence Don Hallblade 822 5.09
Minnesota House of Representatives 47B district election, 2008[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic (DFL) Melissa Hortman (incumbent) 12,382 54.74 −1.12pp
Republican Andrew Reinhardt 10,187 45.04 +1.04pp
Minnesota House of Representatives 47B district election, 2006[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic (DFL) Melissa Hortman (incumbent) 9,269 55.86 +4.96pp
Republican Andrew Reinhardt 7,301 44.00
Minnesota House of Representatives 47B district election, 2004[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic (DFL) Melissa Hortman 10,846 50.90 +7.30pp
Republican Stephanie Olsen (incumbent) 10,444 49.01 −2.66pp

Honors and accolades

Hortman has won awards for her bipartisan work from the 2020 Caucus.[15] She has also won awards from Conservation Minnesota.[16]

Personal life

Hortman is Catholic and has taught Sunday school in Blaine.[17][18]

References
  1. "Minnesota Legislators Past & Present - Legislator Record - Hortman, Melissa". Leg.state.mn.us. Retrieved 2010-07-20.
  2. "After engineering the DFL suburban wave, Melissa Hortman sets sights on 2019 legislative session". Twin Cities. 2018-12-29. Retrieved 2019-01-21.
  3. http://votesmart.org/candidate/20295/melissa-hortman?categoryId=2&type=V,S,R,E,F,P#.VQ9egPnF-XA
  4. http://www.gocra.org/news/reference/2012-candidate-grades/
  5. http://votesmart.org/candidate/key-votes/20295/melissa-hortman#.VMnTpmAtFhE
  6. Bierschbach, Briana. "Hortman brings experience, quiet irreverence to speaker's chair". www.mprnews.org. Retrieved 2019-01-20.
  7. "HF 729 Status in the House for the 88th Legislature (2013 - 2014)". www.revisor.mn.gov. Retrieved 2019-01-20.
  8. "HF 956 Status in the House for the 88th Legislature (2013 - 2014)". www.revisor.mn.gov. Retrieved 2019-01-20.
  9. http://politicsinminnesota.com/blog/2010/11/thissen-names-house-dfl-leadership-team/
  10. Bakst, Brian (November 9, 2018). "New House DFL leaders hail from suburbs". Minnesota Public Radio.
  11. "State Representative District: 47B". Minnesota Secretary of State. Archived from the original on April 21, 2013. Retrieved February 3, 2013.
  12. "All Races by Legislative District - Representative District: 47B". Minnesota Secretary of State. Archived from the original on December 17, 2011. Retrieved February 3, 2013.
  13. "State Representative District 47B". Minnesota Secretary of State. Retrieved February 3, 2013.
  14. "Results for State Representative District 47B". Minnesota Secretary of State. Archived from the original on February 10, 2012. Retrieved February 3, 2013.
  15. "News and Views from Melissa Hortman (DFL) 47B - Minnesota House of Representatives". House.leg.state.mn.us. 2005-10-07. Retrieved 2010-07-20.
  16. "Conservation Minnesota Voter Center || Legislative News". Mnweathercenter.org. Archived from the original on 2011-07-27. Retrieved 2010-07-20.
  17. "About Melissa". Melissa Hortman for State House. 2017-11-06. Retrieved 2020-10-11.
  18. "Hortman, Melissa - Legislator Record - Minnesota Legislators Past & Present". www.leg.mn.gov. Retrieved 2020-10-11.
Minnesota House of Representatives
Preceded by
Paul Thissen		 Minority Leader of the Minnesota House of Representatives
2017–2019		 Succeeded by
Kurt Daudt
Political offices
Preceded by
Kurt Daudt		 Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives
2019–present		 Incumbent
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