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Democrats will hold narrow majorities that enable them to control the agenda when the Legislature gavels in for a new session on Tuesday. And it will be up to two women to keep things on track. 

Never before have two women been in the Legislature’s top two posts at the same time. 

Ten-term Rep. Melissa Hortman returns as House speaker. Five-term Sen. Kari Dziedzic will be the DFL’s new majority leader of that chamber. 

That puts both at the heart of negotiations over a two-year budget likely to approach $60 billion and debates over health care, education and potentially legalizing marijuana.

It’s part of a new political alignment at the Capitol where recent divided party control has made major agreements tough to reach.

“In my experience in the public and the private sector, I think that a lot of times women do have a different leadership style,” Dziedzic said. “And so I do think it changes the culture. And if it changes the culture to be more inclusive and letting individuals shine and bringing people together, then I think that's a good thing”

Lobbyist Amy Koch, a Republican who is the only woman to have previously led a Senate majority, expects the tandem to change the tenor and usher in a task-driven tone. A third woman, Republican Rep. Lisa Demuth, is the House minority leader.

“We've finally reached some critical mass here,” Koch said, adding, “I think the discourse is going to be different. I think the media appearances are going to be different. I think it's a whole new ballgame.”

Dziedzic, 60, has spent a decade in the Legislature. She hasn’t been one to seek out the spotlight. She represents a Minneapolis district and has focused more of her time on the nitty gritty of policy than on attracting headlines. She hasn’t chaired a committee, a route other leaders have taken to the top.

It made Dziedzic something of a surprise selection when she emerged as leader of the caucus that will have a 34-33 majority — the party’s first time in charge since 2016.

“I was honored that they selected me. And you know, it is daunting, it's a large responsibility. It's a big responsibility,” she said in an MPR News interview this month. “And I pledge to them that I'm going to put my head down, get the work done, work with all of them. And we're going to get things done for the state of Minnesota.”

Dziedzic has a degree in engineering, but couldn’t resist the family pull into public service. Her father, Walt, was a colorful Minneapolis city council member who later served on the park board. She remembers making the rounds with him.

“I knew the long hours. I knew the phone calls at home. I knew what I was walking into,” she said. “But I also knew the opportunity that you have to help other people. And it's about helping people and making your community better.”

Being in the Legislature is her dominant focus. She’s single without children and currently no second job to compete for her time. 

“I found for my own mental health sanity. This was enough. This is a full time job,” she said, acknowledging with a laugh that it is about to get fuller.

Her own public service journey began as a campaign volunteer. She later became a scheduling aide to U.S. Sen. Paul Wellstone. She often uses one of his signature taglines. 

“`We all do better when we all do better.' He said that and I truly believe that."

After a stint working for a Hennepin County commissioner, she was nudged to run for a state Senate seat when longtime lawmaker Larry Pogemiller stepped down to take another government job.

The since-retired Pogemiller was impressed when senators picked Dziedzic for majority leader — a post he once held — even if he didn’t see the selection coming.

“I've always known her as being kind of more interested in service and in policy than politics. And she's really thoughtful, a really good listener,” Pogemiller said. “So that'll do her well, I think.”

New Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson, R-East Grand Forks, said he’s gotten to know Dziedzic through overlapping committee assignments and he appreciates her style.

“She has been very pragmatic, and I've enjoyed our relationship that we've built over that time,” Johnson said. “So I'm hoping that through this process she'll be asking our members what's palpable in our districts and how can we move policy forward.”

Pogemiller anticipates that Dziedzic will freely delegate to experienced committee chairs, which he regards as a good move. 

“I think she's got an opportunity with the speaker to be really good, strong leaders here in the next couple of years,” Pogemiller said.

A lawyer by training and a mother of two, Hortman is entering her third term as the presiding House officer. Hortman, 52, was minority leader before that. 

It makes the Brooklyn Park legislator the longest-tenured person at the Capitol negotiating table, exceeding even DFL Gov. Tim Walz who is starting another four-year term on Monday.

Three of Hortman’s four years as speaker have been on a crisis footing, with COVID-19 and the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder driving public debate in that time. 

“With all the time and energy we had to spend on COVID, we didn't have as much time and energy to do other things,” Hortman said, reflecting on how early plans to take on Minnesota’s education achievement gap got sidetracked amid routine updates and requests from health officials on the pandemic.

As a new session approaches, Hortman says she’s raring to go.

“In the past four years as the speaker of the House, I've had to manage internal caucus dynamics and negotiate with the other entities. And that will be the same,” she said. “It will just be a lot easier because we share with the Senate DFL and the governor a vision of what Minnesota can be. And what we can do for the people of Minnesota.”

She has a new second-in-command. Rep. Jamie Long of Minneapolis is stepping in as House majority leader. Diversity within the caucus has increased as well.

Full DFL control doesn’t mean running roughshod over Republicans, Hortman said. But she says she won’t stand for foot-dragging when she sees urgent needs to be addressed.

“We will get the things done that the people of Minnesota expect us to get done. We will provide substantial increases in education funding, we will make healthcare more affordable, we'll make sure this economy works better for more people. And if we can have Republicans working hand in glove with us on those things, we are happy to do that.”

It’s a similar tone to the one Walz is striking on the eve of his second term. He told MSNBC on Tuesday that he’ll try to work with Republicans but won’t let them obstruct progress.

“We need to use this as an opportunity,” Walz said of unified party control. “If there is anything Republicans have taught me: We have a slim majority in the Senate. But Republicans have always told me a one-vote majority is a majority.”

MPR News reporter Dana Ferguson contributed to this story.

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For the first time, the top two posts in Minnesota’s Legislature will be occupied at the same time by women. A third seat at the negotiating table will be, too.

Women carve historic path as Legislature opens with DFL in charge

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House Speaker Melissa Hortman greets state senator Susan Kent

Women carve historic path as Legislature opens with DFL in charge

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