A Democratic leader said they ‘had to deny quorum’ so Republicans understand they can’t even convene the house ‘without bipartisan collaboration’

A one-seat Republican majority in the Statehouse and a looming special election made for a tense start to a new era of divided government.

While Minnesota House Republicans hold a one-seat majority right now, a special election later this month should put the state House in an even political split. State Democrats called the move to elect a Republican speaker in the meantime unconstitutional.