A special election for a vacant south Twin Cities suburban House seat next Tuesday could give Republicans a chance to chip away at Democratic-Farmer-Labor control of Minnesota government.

On Tuesday voters will choose a new representative for House District 52B. It’s a three-way contest for a seat that covers portions of the south metro suburbs of Eagan and Mendota Heights.

The district has favored Democrats in recent years, though a special election could be an opportunity for Republicans, as there’s no incumbent and turnout could be lower than normal. The last time a Republican won in the district was in 2016 when the seat was open. But the DFL and even Democrats on the national level aren’t taking the district for granted.

Bianca Virnig

Last week, the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee named DFL candidate Bianca Virnig a “spotlight candidate” and in a statement said the special election is essential for “maintaining a strong and durable Democratic majority.”

Bianca Virnig, candidate for state representative in District 52B in a Dec. 5, 2023 special election. (Courtesy of the candidate)

Virnig, who lives in Eagan, is a member of the Rosemount-Apple Valley Eagan School Board who won the Nov. 16 primary with nearly 40% of the vote. She’s a supporter of abortion rights, and says she wants to boost funding for education, and increase affordability and access to child care and health care.

Her endorsements include the Minnesota Nurses Association, Planned Parenthood and the gun control group Mom’s Demand Action.

Cynthia Lonnquist, candidate for State Representative in District 52B in a Dec. 5, 2023 special election. (Courtesy of the candidate)

Cynthia Lonnquist

Her Republican challenger is Cynthia Lonnquist, a former tech executive and small business owner from Mendota Heights who is running for the seat for a third time since 2020. Her priorities are improving academic performance in schools, supporting law enforcement and tax cuts for individuals and businesses. She describes herself as “pro-life.”

Minnesota Republican lawmakers have been door-knocking in the district for Lonnquist, who said she does not have formal endorsements from outside groups.

Charles Kuchlenz

Former Minnesota Libertarian party chairman Charles Kuchlenz also will appear on the ballot. He says he’s running in large part to stick up for third parties in Minnesota, who now face a steeper climb to get on the ballot and access to public election subsidies after Minnesota lawmakers raised the major party status threshold from 5% to 8% of the vote.

If elected, he supports curbing government spending and regulations, which he says stifle innovation and individual prosperity.

Charles Kuchlenz, candidate for state representative in District 52B in a Dec. 5, 2023 special election. (Courtesy of the candidate)

DFL control of the Legislature

No matter what happens in the election, the DFL will maintain control a majority in the House, where they currently have 69 seats to the GOP’s 64. But if a Republican gets a foothold in the suburban district, it could help them as they try to win the Legislature back from the DFL in next year’s election.

This year, DFLers in control of the Senate, House and governor’s office passed historic legislation, including paid family and medical leave, and used a record $17.5 billion surplus to fund new programs, projects and tax credits for low-income families. Republicans pushed for tax cuts and railed against the new spending.

“The race is largely a referendum on what came out of the last legislative session,” said Lonnquist. “What I’m finding as I talk with the voters at the door, is they’re upset about the surplus.”

Seat vacated in September

Gov. Tim Walz called for the special election after Rep. Ruth Richardson, a DFLer, resigned from the seat in September after accepting a position as CEO of Planned Parenthood North Central States in 2022. During her five years in the House, Richardson was a key sponsor of paid family and medical leave legislation, which became law this year.

In the 2022 election, Richardson won with nearly 62% of the vote to Lonnquist’s 38%. And in 2020 she won with more than 55% of the vote, 10 points more than Lonnquist.

But Republicans did flip the district for one term in 2016 after longtime DFL Rep. Joe Atkins decided not to run for reelection. Atkins had served as the district’s representative since 2003.

Virnig says her long-standing ties to the area and community work make her the most qualified to succeed Richardson, and she hopes to help DFL majorities continue the work they did this past session, which beyond new programs and credits included protections for abortion rights, gender-affirming treatments for minors and a ban on programs aimed at changing children’s sexual orientations.

Whoever is elected will join the Legislature for the 2024 session, which starts on Feb. 12.

For more information on how and where to vote in the election go to MNVotes.gov.

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