Reps. Xp Lee, Kristin Robbins Weigh in on Legislative Session
Opening day at the Capitol for the 2026 legislative session had a different feel than those in years past.
It’s the first time in more than two decades that the Minnesota Legislature opened its session without the presence of Speaker of the House Emerita Melissa Hortman.
She was killed last summer along with her husband in their Brooklyn Park home in a politically-motivated attack.
Sen. John Hoffman and his wife were shot by the same man in their Champlin home, according to law enforcmeent officials, but ultimately survived.
The legislature celebrated Hoffman’s return, while also mourning the Hortmans. During a remembrance ceremony, members left roses on her empty desk.
Freshman Rep. XP Lee, DFL-Brooklyn Park, felt sentiments of all variety on his first day.
“All the emotions of anxiety, nervousness,” he told CCX News. “Hope, inspiration.”
Lee won a special election to fill Hortman’s seat. Previously, he served on the Brooklyn Park City Council.
“We all are coming together around Melissa, or Speaker Emerita Hortman’s spirit of getting things done for Minnesotans,” he said. “And that’s going to be our focus moving forward with this session but also in the years to come.”
He recognizes that he’s stepped into a big role.
“I’m not trying to fill her shoes,” he said. “I don’t think anyone can do that. I’m just here to follow, right? In her footsteps. And I think that she blazed and amazing path, not just for me but for many others.”
He thinks his committees should be able to find some common ground, but acknowledged some of the larger looming issues like fraud and immigration enforcement are likely to be controversial.
“I’m on the Health, Children and Families and Veterans committees,” Lee said. “So, [I’m] hoping to have some productive conversations there.”
Robbins: ‘A lot we need to do’
Meanwhile, Maple Grove Republican Rep. Kristin Robbins see’s potential for partisan gridlock with the two parties tied in the House.
“I still would encourage the public to temper their expectations about substantial policy legislation moving this session,” she said. “I’m always optimistic so I hope we will get some good bipartisan work done, particularly in the area of fraud. We have a lot we need to do and I’m hoping we can do that together. But I don’t know that there will be a lot of other substantial legislation passed just because it’s not a budget year, there is no money. “
She’s a candidate for the governor’s seat and chairs the House Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Policy committee.
Her role is likely to be in the spotlight after Minnesota’s fraud scandals contributed to Gov. Tim Walz ending his re-election bid.
Robbins says her committee will keep digging and consider consequences for those responsible.
“Minnesotans want accountability for public officials who either participate or knowingly turn a blind eye,” she said. “And so we are going to have some of those bills for accountability this session.”
