Melissa Hortman
{{Short description|American politician (born 1970)}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Melissa Hortman
| image = Melissa Hortman at One Minnesota Budget Bill Signing (cropped).jpg
| office = 61st Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives
| term_start = January 8, 2019
| term_end = January 14, 2025
| predecessor = Kurt Daudt
| successor = Lisa Demuth
| office2 = DFL Leader of the Minnesota House of Representatives
| term_start2 = February 6, 2025
| term_end2 =
| predecessor2 = Lisa Demuth
| successor2 =
| term_start3 = January 3, 2017
| term_end3 = January 7, 2019
| predecessor3 = Paul Thissen
| successor3 = Kurt Daudt
| office4 = Member of the Minnesota House of Representatives
| term_start4 = January 3, 2023
| term_end4 =
| predecessor4 = Kristin Bahner
| successor4 =
| constituency4 = District 34B
| term_start5 = January 8, 2013
| term_end5 = January 3, 2023
| predecessor5 = Pat Garofalo
| successor5 = Brion Curran
| constituency5 = District 36B
| term_start6 = January 4, 2005
| term_end6 = January 8, 2013
| predecessor6 = Stephanie Olsen
| successor6 = Joe Hoppe
| constituency6 = District 47B
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1970|5|27}}
| birth_place = Fridley, Minnesota, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| party = Democratic
| spouse = Mark Hortman
| children = 2
| education = Boston University (BA)
University of Minnesota (JD)
Harvard University (MPA)
| website = {{url|house.mn.gov/members/profile/12266|State House website}}
{{url|melissahortman.com|Campaign website}}
}}
Melissa Hortman (born May 27, 1970) is an American politician and former Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives. A member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL), Hortman represents District 34B in the northern Twin Cities metropolitan area, which includes the cities of Brooklyn Park, Champlin and Coon Rapids and parts of Anoka and Hennepin Counties.
Hortman served as minority leader from 2017 to 2019{{Cite web |title=Hortman, Melissa - Legislator Record - Minnesota Legislators Past & Present |url=https://www.lrl.mn.gov/legdb/fulldetail?ID=12266 |access-date=2023-04-12 |website=www.lrl.mn.gov}}{{Cite web |title=Rep. Melissa Hortman (34B) - Minnesota House of Representatives |url=https://www.house.mn.gov/members/profile/12266 |access-date=2023-04-12 |website=www.house.mn.gov}} and as speaker from 2019 to 2025. From the start of the 94th Legislature in January 2025 until early February, she led a boycott of House sessions to deny Republicans a quorum to conduct business.{{cite news |title=Republicans override Simon’s adjournment of House, elect Demuth as speaker |url=https://www.kaaltv.com/news/republicans-override-simons-adjournment-of-house-elect-demuth-as-speaker/ |access-date=14 January 2025 |agency=ABC 6 News |date=14 January 2025}} After a power-sharing agreement was reached, Hortman served again as minority leader until March 17, when a special election created a tie between the parties in the House; her title then changed to "DFL Leader" and she was granted significant powers alongside Republican Speaker Lisa Demuth.https://www.kaaltv.com/news/minnesota-house-power-sharing-agreement-takes-effect/
Early life, education and career
Hortman was born in Fridley, Minnesota, and graduated from Blaine High School in 1988. She earned bachelor's degrees in political science and philosophy from Boston University, graduating magna cum laude in 1991, a Juris Doctor from the University of Minnesota Law School, cum laude, in 1995, and a Master of Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School in 2018.{{Cite web|url=https://www.twincities.com/2018/12/29/melissa-hortman-incoming-dfl-leader-of-mn-house-looks-to-set-a-cooperative-tone/|title=After engineering the DFL suburban wave, Melissa Hortman sets sights on 2019 legislative session|date=2018-12-29|website=Twin Cities|language=en-US|access-date=2019-01-21}}
Hortman worked as an intern in the United States Senate for Al Gore and John Kerry, and clerked for Judge John Sommerville while in law school. She served on the Brooklyn Park City Human Relations Commission and worked as an assistant county attorney for Hennepin County.
Minnesota House of Representatives
Hortman was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2004 and has been reelected every two years since. She first ran unsuccessfully in 1998, and again in 2002. She defeated one-term Republican incumbent Stephanie Olsen.
Hortman served as an assistant majority leader from 2007 to 2010 and as minority whip from 2011 to 2012. From 2013 to 2014 she served as House speaker pro tempore and chaired the Energy Policy Committee. She served as deputy minority leader from 2015 to 2016. After Paul Thissen retired, Hortman was elected by her caucus to be minority leader from 2017 to 2018. When the DFL caucus retook the majority in the 2018 election, her colleagues elected her Speaker of the House.{{cite news |last=Bakst |first=Brian |date=November 9, 2018 |title=New House DFL leaders hail from suburbs |url=https://blogs.mprnews.org/capitol-view/2018/11/new-house-dfl-leaders-hail-from-suburbs/ |work=Minnesota Public Radio}}
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 pro-choice,{{Cite web |title=The Voter's Self Defense System |url=http://votesmart.org/candidate/20295/melissa-hortman?categoryId=2&type=V,S,R,E,F,P#.VQ9egPnF-XA}} supports gun control policies,{{Cite web |title=2012 Candidate Grades (General Election) « Gun Owners Civil Rights Alliance |url=http://www.gocra.org/news/reference/2012-candidate-grades/}} and opposes voter identification initiatives.{{Cite web |title=The Voter's Self Defense System |url=http://votesmart.org/candidate/key-votes/20295/melissa-hortman#.VMnTpmAtFhE}} 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.{{Cite web |last=Bierschbach |first=Briana |title=Hortman brings experience, quiet irreverence to speaker's chair |url=https://www.mprnews.org/story/2019/01/04/hortman-brings-experience-quiet-irreverence-to-speakers-chair |access-date=2019-01-20 |website=www.mprnews.org}} While chair of the Energy Policy Committee, she was the chief author of the state's solar energy standard and community solar laws.{{Cite web |title=HF 729 Status in the House for the 88th Legislature (2013 - 2014) |url=https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/bill.php?b=House&f=HF0729&ssn=0&y=2013 |access-date=2019-01-20 |website=www.revisor.mn.gov}}{{Cite web |title=HF 956 Status in the House for the 88th Legislature (2013 - 2014) |url=https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/bill.php?b=House&f=HF956&ssn=0&y=2013 |access-date=2019-01-20 |website=www.revisor.mn.gov}}
Electoral history
{{Election box begin | title=Minnesota House of Representatives 47B district election, 2010{{cite web | url=http://electionresults.sos.state.mn.us/20101102/ElecRslts.asp?M=LG&LD=47B | title=State Representative District: 47B | publisher=Minnesota Secretary of State | access-date=February 3, 2013 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://archive.today/20130421181904/http://electionresults.sos.state.mn.us/20101102/ElecRslts.asp?M=LG&LD=47B | archive-date=April 21, 2013 }}}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party
|candidate = Melissa Hortman (incumbent)
|votes = 8,278
|percentage = 51.30
|change = −3.44pp
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Republican Party of Minnesota
|candidate = Linda Etim
|votes = 7,030
|percentage = 43.56
|change =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Independence Party of Minnesota
|candidate = Don Hallblade
|votes = 822
|percentage = 5.09
|change =
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin | title=Minnesota House of Representatives 47B district election, 2008{{cite web | url=http://electionresults.sos.state.mn.us/20081104/ElecRslts.asp?M=LG&LD=47B | title=All Races by Legislative District - Representative District: 47B | publisher=Minnesota Secretary of State | access-date=February 3, 2013 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111217031848/http://electionresults.sos.state.mn.us/20081104/ElecRslts.asp?M=LG&LD=47B | archive-date=December 17, 2011 }}}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party
|candidate = Melissa Hortman (incumbent)
|votes = 12,382
|percentage = 54.74
|change = −1.12pp
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Republican Party of Minnesota
|candidate = Andrew Reinhardt
|votes = 10,187
|percentage = 45.04
|change = +1.04pp
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin | title=Minnesota House of Representatives 47B district election, 2006{{cite web | url=http://electionresults.sos.state.mn.us/20061107/ElecRslts.asp?M=LG&LD=47B | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210314183625/https://electionresults.sos.state.mn.us/20061107/ElecRslts.asp?M=LG&LD=47B | url-status=dead | archive-date=March 14, 2021 | title=State Representative District 47B | publisher=Minnesota Secretary of State | access-date=February 3, 2013 }}}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party
|candidate = Melissa Hortman (incumbent)
|votes = 9,269
|percentage = 55.86
|change = +4.96pp
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Republican Party of Minnesota
|candidate = Andrew Reinhardt
|votes = 7,301
|percentage = 44.00
|change =
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin | title=Minnesota House of Representatives 47B district election, 2004{{cite web | url=http://electionresults.sos.state.mn.us/20041102/ElecRslts.asp?M=LG&LD=47B | title=Results for State Representative District 47B | publisher=Minnesota Secretary of State | access-date=February 3, 2013 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120210030354/http://electionresults.sos.state.mn.us/20041102/ElecRslts.asp?M=LG | archive-date=February 10, 2012 }}}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party
|candidate = Melissa Hortman
|votes = 10,846
|percentage = 50.90
|change = +7.30pp
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Republican Party of Minnesota
|candidate = Stephanie Olsen (incumbent)
|votes = 10,444
|percentage = 49.01
|change = −2.66pp
}}
{{Election box end}}
Honors and accolades
Hortman won awards from the 2020 caucus for her bipartisan work.{{cite web|url=http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/members/pressrelease.asp?pressid=893&party=1&memid=12266 |title=News and Views from Melissa Hortman (DFL) 47B - Minnesota House of Representatives |publisher=House.leg.state.mn.us |date=2005-10-07 |access-date=2010-07-20}} She has also won awards from Conservation Minnesota.{{cite web |url=http://www.mnweathercenter.org/score/awards/index.cfm?subsec=97&id=2879 |title=Conservation Minnesota Voter Center || Legislative News |publisher=Mnweathercenter.org |access-date=2010-07-20 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727091341/http://www.mnweathercenter.org/score/awards/index.cfm?subsec=97&id=2879 |archive-date=2011-07-27 }}
Personal life
Hortman and her spouse, Mark, have two children. She resides in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. Hortman is Catholic and has taught Sunday school in Blaine.{{Cite web|date=2017-11-06|title=About Melissa|url=https://melissahortman.com/about-melissa|access-date=2020-10-11|website=Melissa Hortman for State House|language=en}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{notelist}}
External links
{{MN-legdb|12266}}
- [http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/members/members.asp?id=12266 Official House of Representatives website]
- [http://melissahortman.com/ Official campaign website]
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{{s-par|us-mn-hs}}
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{{s-ttl|title=DFL Leader of the Minnesota House of Representatives|years=2025–present}}
{{s-inc}}
|-{{s-bef|before=Paul Thissen}}
{{s-ttl|title=Minority Leader of the Minnesota House of Representatives|years=2017–2019}}
{{s-aft|after=Kurt Daudt}}
|-
{{s-bef|before=Lisa Demuth}}
{{s-ttl|title=Minority Leader of the Minnesota House of Representatives|years=2025}}
{{s-vac}}
|-
{{s-off}}
{{s-bef|before=Kurt Daudt}}
{{s-ttl|title=Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives|years=2019–2025}}
{{s-aft|after=Lisa Demuth}}
{{s-end}}
{{Current Minnesota statewide political officials}}
{{U.S. State House floor leaders}}
{{MNSpeakers}}
{{Minnesota House Minority Leaders}}
{{Minnesota House of Representatives}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hortman, Melissa}}
Category:21st-century American women politicians
Category:21st-century members of the Minnesota Legislature
Category:Boston University College of Arts and Sciences alumni
Category:Catholics from Minnesota
Category:Democratic Party members of the Minnesota House of Representatives
Category:Harvard Kennedy School alumni
Category:People from Brooklyn Park, Minnesota
Category:People from Fridley, Minnesota
Category:Speakers of the Minnesota House of Representatives