ST. PAUL — Voters in Brooklyn Park are heading to the polls Tuesday, Aug. 12, in a primary for the seat of slain Minnesota Rep. Melissa Hortman.

Three Democratic candidates — Erickson Saye, Xp Lee and Christian Eriksen — seek the party nomination for House seat 34B, representing areas of Brooklyn Park, Coon Rapids and Champlin. The seat is expected to stay blue, as Hortman won her last election in November 2024 with 63% of the vote.

The results of the primary will decide who will challenge Republican candidate Ruth Bittner in the Sept. 16 special election. The results of the race will determine who controls the chamber. Republicans currently hold a temporary 67-66 majority. A Democrat win would return the House to its previous 67-67 tie, and a Republican win would give the House a 68

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