‘She Never Lost Her Focus on Humanity’: Freshman Lawmakers Reflect on Rep. Hortman’s Legacy
Three freshman DFL representatives shared with CCX News how Rep. Melissa Hortman (DFL-Brooklyn Park) was dynamic on the campaign trail and in St. Paul.
“She cared about Minnesota,” said Rep. Huldah Momanyi-Hiltsley (DFL-Brooklyn Park). “She made me feel valued and heard and that I belonged in a space as a freshman legislator. You know, you couldn’t have asked for a better leader.”
Hortman and her husband, Mark, were shot and killed in their Brooklyn Park home on June 14.
Lawmakers said Hortman was savvy in the campaign realm, pushing DFL campaign efforts in many districts.
“Melissa was dogged in making sure that we were on track for our door-knocking numbers, which paid off,” said Rep. David Gottfried (DFL-Shoreview), who won a special election this spring to make the House evenly split 67-67. “She was incredible.”
After Momanyi-Hiltsley won her Brooklyn Park primary, she said Hortman pushed her to start working in other races.
“Her push for me was get out of your district get out of your comfort zone and go do sister door knocks,” said Momanyi-Hiltsley.
“I’d like to add too that she would come to a door and knock and it was never about her,” said Rep. Kari Rehrauer (DFL-Coon Rapids). “Some other politicians might want that spotlight and take the time to give this long speech in front of volunteers, but she wanted her speech to be short sweet because she had other doors to go to.”
Rep. Kari Rehrauer (left), Rep. Huldah Momanyi-Hiltsley (middle) and Rep. David Gottfried (right) speak to CCX News to reflect on Rep. Melissa Hortman.
A Leader and a Mentor
The lawmakers said Hortman was a leader and a mentor.
When the decision was made to remove undocumented adults from eligibility for MinnesotaCare, Hortman cast the loan DFL vote to approve the budget.
“We asked some very tough questions of our leadership as to how this decision was made,” recalled Gottfried, who says he was distraught.
“She came up to me and gave me a hug, which I have since learned is a very rare thing, and she said to me, ‘I’ve been there man. I hope this part never gets easier for you,” said Gottfried. “That was emblematic of whom Melissa was. She was in this role for over 20 years and it’s really easy to get jaded in this position, and she never did. She held on to her focus on humanity throughout.”
Lawmakers also reflected on how they’ve either made security upgrades at their homes, or intend to. The shooting also prompted conversations with family about whether they should continue in public service.
“Definitely the first few days I thought about it and whether my husband and my kids would want me to keep doing this,” said Rehrauer. “I thought if they asked me not to that I would stop for them.”
But Rehrauer said her husband emphatically wanted her to continue, and that Melissa Hortman would want her to continue too.
“Then my kids wrote a beautiful post and shared it with me and it was about how I gave them inspiration,” said Rehauer. “In this political realm that we’re in of divisiveness and that that there needs to be people like me in office. I, with their support, am definitely going to keep going.”
The full interview is available on the CCX Media YouTube Page.
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