LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

August Primaries Look to Shape General Election Races

by Sam Richie & Shannon K. Mitchell, AASP-MN Lobbyists

As August gets underway, the focus is shifting to primary elections. In part because of redistricting and an increase in political polarization, there are an unusually large number of primary challengers and races to watch in both political parties this summer. New political boundaries were drawn after the 2020 census and this November’s election will be the first to use them. These new maps pitted a number of sitting lawmakers into districts with one another, often with members of their own political party. This led to a number of retirements and even prompted several elected officials to move in order to avoid primary challenges with their colleagues. Even with all that maneuvering, there are a number of districts with multiple candidates who will face off during the August primaries.

In the Senate, there are seven incumbent Republican lawmakers facing primary challengers, many of whom are new to politics and taking issue with what they perceive as incumbents being too moderate and willing to compromise with Democrats. These races are mainly in safe Republicans districts, so the winner of the primary is likely to win the November election as well.

The House also has a number of incumbent Democrats who are facing primary challengers for the right to move on to the November general election. Many of these new candidates are also dissatisfied with what they see as compromise with the Republican-led Senate. If the majority of these challengers are successful and the House and Senate remain split between Democrats and Republicans, it could become increasingly difficult to pass legislation in a further polarized political climate. While more and more deal-making lawmakers retire and are replaced by those less willing to compromise, the prospects for smooth governance could seem increasingly dim.

There has been some discussion about the potential for a special session to be called after the August primaries are over. While this still seems fairly unlikely, the notion would be that once the distraction and attention of the primaries is gone there may be a small window to call lawmakers back to pass some of the agreed to, but not enacted, bills from the end of the 2022 session, mainly the omnibus tax bill (which included some commercial

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