Top Minnesota House Republican urges colleagues to refuse to seat incoming lawmaker

State Rep. Lisa Demuth, who leads Minnesota House Republicans, strongly suggested that her caucus will refuse to seat Rep.-elect Brad Tabke, DFL-Shakopee, who won a contested election by 14 votes after 20 votes were improperly discarded.

The election case is before a judge, but Demuth told Al Travis, a conservative podcast host, that Republicans will ignore a judge’s ruling and refuse to seat Tabke, forcing Gov. Tim Walz to call a special election in district 54A.

“I am hopeful the courts will decide that way,” she said.