The constitution requires the state to have one speaker, an issue complicated by the 67-67 tie in the Minnesota House. Representative Melissa Hortman is the speaker-designate for the DFL and Representative Lisa Demuth has the same role for the Republicans. Agricultural lobbyist Bruce Kleven outlined a possible scenario. “They haven’t asked me for my opinion, but one outcome that I would look at is the Secretary of State convenes the House after the election. The first thing after the Pledge of Allegiance, the Secretary of State takes nominations for Speaker and the majority party generally gets the person they put up. One outcome here is the Secretary of State could convene and then appoint two Speaker Pro Tempores where they both take turns. They’re not really called the Speaker, but they are Speaker Pro Tempore and then they take turns throughout the session.” Kleven spoke during the Minnesota Association of Wheat Growers annual meeting.
