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Xp Lee wins Democratic primary in race to fill seat of late-Rep. Melissa Hortman • Minnesota Reformer [1]

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Date: 2025-08

Xp Lee, who was born in a refugee camp in Thailand after his family fled Laos amid the Vietnam War, won the Democratic-Farmer-Labor special primary election on Tuesday to replace the late Rep. Melissa Hortman, who was killed in an apparent political assassination.

He’ll face Republican Ruth Bittner on Sept. 16, though the solidly blue district will likely deliver a Lee victory and bring the Minnesota House back into a 67-67 tie.

Lee is a health equity analyst for the Minnesota Department of Health and served on the Brooklyn Park City Council from 2022 to 2024. He previously won the DFL party endorsement in District 34B.

Lee told the Reformer last month that he’ll focus on health care and education, including the wide disparties in both — Minnesotans’ health and education outcomes are significantly impacted by the zip codes where they live and were raised.

Lee also said he lives not too far from the home of Melissa and Mark Hortman, who were killed by a gunman on June 14.

”We’ve just had a lot of conversations with neighbors and other residents close by — remembering her and just really feeling about what we can do to move forward. And part of this is also, of course, to take up her legacy at the Capitol,” Lee said.

Until the special election, the vacant seat will be one of three left empty in the Minnesota Legislature following the resignation of Sen. Nicole Mitchell, DFL-Woodbury, and the death of Sen. Bruce Anderson, R-Buffalo.

Lee defeated Christian Eriksen, who has served on the Brooklyn Park City Council since 2022 and formerly chaired the city’s Human Rights Commission; and Erickson Saye, a Hennepin County prosecutor.

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[1] Url: https://minnesotareformer.com/briefs/xp-lee-wins-democratic-primary-in-race-to-fill-seat-of-late-rep-melissa-hortman/

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