This is a list of speakers of the

Minnesota House of Representatives The Minnesota House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the U.S. state of Minnesota's Minnesota Legislature, legislature. It operates in conjunction with the Minnesota Senate, the state's upper chamber, to write and pass legislation, whic ...

. The speaker of the House is usually the leader of the majority party, and is the most powerful figure in the House.

Territorial

State

{, class=wikitable style="text-align:center" ! # !! Speaker !! Took office !! Left office !! Party/caucus!! Notes !! Session , - , 1 , John S. Watrous , 2 December 1857 , 12 March 1858 , , Unknown , ''Minnesota Legislators Past & Present'' lists Watrous' party affiliation as "Not Available," while the Minnesota Legislative Reference Library's list of Speakers of the House of Representatives lists "R?," indicating that the MLRL does not know what Watrous' party affiliation was, and is merely guessing that he ''might'' have been a Republican; on the other hand, the Journal of the House of Representatives for the 1st Session shows that Watrous was elected Speaker in a party-line vote by a majority Democratic House of Representatives, with the Democratic majority voting for him and the Republican minority voting for James Beach Wakefield, and Watrous was, in 1859, given a federal civil service appointment by the Buchanan Administration at a time when patronage was the rule for civil service appointments , rowspan="2",

1st First most commonly refers to: * First, the ordinal form of the number 1 First or 1st may also refer to: Acronyms * Faint Images of the Radio Sky at Twenty-Centimeters, an astronomical survey carried out by the Very Large Array * Far Infrared a ...

, - , 2 ,

George Bradley George Washington Bradley (July 13, 1852 – October 2, 1931), nicknamed "Grin", was an American professional baseball player who was a pitcher and infielder. He played for multiple teams in the early years of the National League, the oldest le ...

, 12 March 1858 , 6 December 1859 , , Unknown , ''Minnesota Legislators Past & Present'' lists Bradley's party affiliation as "Not Available," while the Minnesota Legislative Reference Library's list of Speakers of the House of Representatives lists "R?," indicating that the MLRL does not know what Bradley's party affiliation was, and is merely guessing that he ''might'' have been a Republican; on the other hand, Bradley was elected Speaker at a time when the Democrats held a 55 percent voting majority in the Minnesota House of Representatives, and, in 1860, received a federal civil service appointment from the Buchanan Administration, similar to Watrous , - , 3 , Amos Coggswell , 7 December 1859 , 7 January 1861 , , Republican , ,

2nd A second is the base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI). Second, Seconds, The Second, or (The) 2nd may also refer to: Mathematics * 2 (number), as an ordinal (also written as ''2nd'' or ''2d'') * Minute and second of arc, ...

, - , rowspan=2 , 4 , rowspan=2 , Jared Benson , rowspan=2 , 8 January 1861 , rowspan=2 , 5 January 1863 , rowspan=2 , Republican , rowspan=2 , , 3rd , - ,

4th Fourth or the fourth may refer to: * the ordinal form of the number 4 * ''Fourth'' (album), by Soft Machine, 1971 * Fourth (angle), an ancient astronomical subdivision * Fourth (music), a musical interval * ''The Fourth'', a 1972 Soviet drama ...

, - , 5 , Charles D. Sherwood , 6 January 1863 , 4 January 1864 , , Republican , , 5th , - , 6 , Jared Benson , 5 January 1864 , 1864? , , Republican , , 6th , - , 7 ,

Thomas H. Armstrong Thomas Henry Armstrong (February 6, 1829 – December 29, 1891) was a Minnesota banker, lawyer, legislator, and the fifth Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota. He became Lieutenant Governor under Governor William Rainey Marshall from January 8 ...

, 1864? , 1865 , , Republican , Unclear whether he took office in 1864 or 1865 ,

7th Seventh is the ordinal form of the number seven. Seventh may refer to: * Seventh Amendment to the United States Constitution * A fraction (mathematics), , equal to one of seven equal parts Film and television *"The Seventh", a second-season ep ...

, - , 8 , James B. Wakefield , 1866 , 1866 , , Republican , Served as a U.S. Representative ,

8th Eighth is ordinal form of the number eight. Eighth may refer to: * One eighth, , a fraction, one of eight equal parts of a whole * Eighth note (quaver), a musical note played for half the value of a quarter note (crotchet) * Octave, an interval b ...

, - , rowspan=2 , 9 , rowspan=2 , John Q. Farmer , rowspan=2 , 1867 , rowspan=2 , 1868 , rowspan=2 , Whig/ Republican , rowspan=2 , , 9th , - , 10th , - , 10 , Chester D. Davidson , 1869 , 1869 , , Republican , , 11th , - , rowspan=2 , 11 , rowspan=2 , John L. Merriam , rowspan=2 , 1870 , rowspan=2 , 1871 , rowspan=2 , Republican , rowspan=2 , ,

12th Twelfth can mean: *The Twelfth Amendment to the United States Constitution *The Twelfth, a Protestant celebration originating in Ireland In mathematics: * 12th, an ordinal number; as in the item in an order twelve places from the beginning, follo ...

, - ,

13th In music or music theory, a thirteenth is the Musical note, note thirteen scale degrees from the root (chord), root of a chord (music), chord and also the interval (music), interval between the root and the thirteenth. The thirteenth is m ...

, - , rowspan=3 , 12 , rowspan=3 , A.R. Hall , rowspan=3 , 1872 , rowspan=3 , 1874 , rowspan=3 , Republican , rowspan=3 , , 14th , - , 15th , - , 16th , - , rowspan=2 , 13 , rowspan=2 , William R. Kinyon , rowspan=2 , 1875 , rowspan=2 , 1876 , rowspan=2 , Republican , rowspan=2 , , 17th , - , 18th , - , 14 , John L. Gibbs , 1877 , 1877 , , Republican , , 19th , - , rowspan=2 , 15 , rowspan=2 , Charles A. Gilman , rowspan=2 , 1878 , rowspan=2 , 1879 , rowspan=2 , Republican , rowspan=2 , , 20th , - , 21st , - , rowspan=2 , 16 , rowspan=2 , Loren Fletcher , rowspan=2 , 1881 , rowspan=2 , 1885 , rowspan=2 , Republican , rowspan=2 , , 22nd , - , 23rd , - , 17 , John L. Gibbs , 1885 , 1887 , , Republican , , 24th , - , 18 ,

William Rush Merriam William Rush Merriam (July 26, 1849February 18, 1931) was an American politician and banker. A Republican Party (United States), Republican, he served as the eleventh Governor of Minnesota from 1889 to 1893. Life and career Merriam was born i ...

, 1887 , 1889 , , Republican , Served as Governor of Minnesota , 25th , - , 19 , Charles H. Graves , 1889 , 1891 , , Republican , , 26th , - , 20 , Ezra T. Champlin , 1891 , 1893 , ,

Alliance An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or sovereign state, states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not an explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an a ...

, , 27th , - , 21 , William E. Lee , 1893 , 1895 , , Republican , , 28th , - , 22 , Samuel Rinnah Van Sant , 1895 , 1897 , , Republican , Served as Governor of Minnesota , 29th , - , 23 , John D. Jones , 1897 , 1899 , , Republican , , 30th , - , 24 , Arthur N. Dare , 1899 , 1901 , , Republican , , 31st , - , 25 , M.J. Dowling , 1901 , 1903 , , Republican , , 32nd , - , 26 , Leverett W. Babcock , 1903 , 1905 , , Republican , , 33rd , - , 27 , Frank Clague , 1905 , 1907 , , Republican , Served as a U.S. Representative , 34th , - , 28 , Lawrence H. Johnson , 1907 , 1909 , , Republican , , 35th , - , 29 , Anton J. Rockne , 1909 , 1911 , , Republican , , 36th , - , 30 , Howard H. Dunn , 1911 , 1913 , , Republican , , 37th , - , 31 , Henry Rines , 1913 , 1915 , ,

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...

, Served as Minnesota Treasurer , 38th , - , 32 , H. H. Flowers , 1915 , 1917 , ,

, , 39th , - , 33 , Ralph J. Parker , January 1917 , January 1919 , ,

, , 40th , - , rowspan=3, 34 , rowspan=3, William I. Nolan , rowspan=3, January 1919 , rowspan=3, January 1925 , rowspan=3 ,

, rowspan=3, , 41st , - , 42nd , - , 43rd , - , rowspan=3, 35 , rowspan=3, John A. Johnson , rowspan=3, January 1925 , rowspan=3, January 1931 , rowspan=3 ,

, rowspan=3, , 44th , - , 45th , - , 46th , - , 36 , Oscar A. Swenson , January 1931 , January 1933 , ,

, , 47th , - , 37 , Charles Munn , January 1933 , January 1935 , , Liberal , , 48th , - , 38 , George W. Johnson , January 1935 , January 1937 , ,

, , 49th , - , 39 , Harold H. Barker , January 1937 , January 1939 , , Liberal , , 50th , - , rowspan=5, 40 , rowspan=5, Lawrence M. Hall , rowspan=5, January 1939 , rowspan=5, January 1949 , rowspan=5 ,

, rowspan=5, Longest-serving speaker , 51st , - , 52nd , - , 53rd , - , 54th , - , 55th , - , rowspan=3, 41 , rowspan=3, John A. Hartle , rowspan=3, January 4, 1949 , rowspan=3, January 6, 1955 , rowspan=3 ,

, rowspan=3, , 56th , - , 57th , - , 58th , - , rowspan=2, 42 , rowspan=2, Alfred I. Johnson , rowspan=2, January 6, 1955 , rowspan=2, January 5, 1959 , rowspan=2 , Liberal , rowspan=2, , 59th , - , 60th , - , rowspan=2, 43 , rowspan=2, Edwin J. Chilgren , rowspan=2, January 5, 1959 , rowspan=2, January 7, 1963 , rowspan=2 , Liberal , rowspan=2, , 61st , - , 62nd , - , rowspan=4, 44 , rowspan=4, Lloyd L. Duxbury , rowspan=4, January 7, 1963 , rowspan=4, January 1971 , rowspan=4 ,

, rowspan=4, , 63rd , - , 64th , - , 65th , - , 66th , - , 45 , A.W. Dirlam , January 1971 , January 1973 , ,

, , 67th , - , rowspan=3, 46 , rowspan=3,

Martin Olav Sabo Martin Olav Sabo (February 28, 1938 – March 13, 2016) was an American politician who served as United States House of Representatives, United States Representative for , which includes Minneapolis; the district is one of eight Minnesota Congre ...

, rowspan=3, January 1973 , rowspan=3, January 1979 , rowspan=3 , DFL , rowspan=3, Served as a U.S. Representative , 68th , - , 69th , - , 70th , - , 47 ,

Rod Searle Rodney Newell Searle Sr. (July 17, 1920 – January 5, 2014) was a Minnesota farmer, insurance agent, and public servant. Born and raised in urban New Jersey, Searle moved to rural Minnesota in 1947 with his wife Jane and their two young children ...

, January 1979 , January 1980 , , Independent-Republican , , rowspan=2 , 71st , - , 48 ,

Fred C. Norton Fred C. Norton (August 19, 1928 – October 28, 2000) was a Minnesota politician, a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, a Speaker (politics), Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives, and a judge of the Minnesota Court of Appeal ...

, January 1980 , January 1981 , , DFL , Served on Minnesota Court of Appeals , - , rowspan=2, 49 , rowspan=2, Harry A. Sieben , rowspan=2, January 1981 , rowspan=2, January 1985 , rowspan=2 , DFL , rowspan=2, , 72nd , - , 73rd , - , 50 , David M. Jennings , January 1985 , January 1987 , , Independent-Republican , , 74th , - , 51 ,

, January 1987 , June 1987 , , DFL , Served on Minnesota Court of Appeals , 75th , - , rowspan=3 , 52 , rowspan=3 , Robert Vanasek , rowspan=3 , June 1987 , rowspan=3 , January 6, 1992 , rowspan=3 , DFL , rowspan=3 , , 75th , - , 76th , - , 77th , - , rowspan=2 , 53 , rowspan=2 , Dee Long , rowspan=2 , January 6, 1992 , rowspan=2 , September 15, 1993 , rowspan=2 , DFL , rowspan=2 , First woman to serve as speaker , 77th , - , 78th , - { , rowspan=2 , 54 , rowspan=2 , Irv Anderson , rowspan=2 , September 1993 , rowspan=2 , January 1997 , rowspan=2 , DFL , rowspan=2 , , 78th , - , 79th , - , 55 , Phil Carruthers , January 1997 , January 1999 , , DFL , , 80th , - , rowspan=4 , 56 , rowspan=4 , Steve Sviggum , rowspan=4 , January 1999 , rowspan=4 , January 2007 , rowspan=4 , Republican , rowspan=4 , , 81st , - , 82nd , - , 83rd , - , 84th , - , rowspan=2 , 57 , rowspan=2 ,

Margaret Anderson Kelliher Margaret Anderson Kelliher (born March 11, 1968) is an American politician, City Operations Officer for the City of Minneapolis, former Director of the Minneapolis Department of Public Works, former Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Tra ...

, rowspan=2 , January 2007 , rowspan=2 , January 2011 , rowspan=2 , DFL , rowspan=2 , , 85th , - , 86th , - , 58 , Kurt Zellers , January 4, 2011 , January 8, 2013 , , Republican , , 87th , - , 59 , Paul Thissen , January 8, 2013 , January 6, 2015 , , DFL , Appointed to the Minnesota Supreme Court in 2018 , 88th , - , rowspan=2 , 60 , rowspan=2 , Kurt Daudt , rowspan=2 , January 6, 2015 , rowspan=2 , January 8, 2019 , rowspan=2 , Republican , rowspan=2 , , 89th , - ,

90th 9 (nine) is the natural number following and preceding . Evolution of the Hindu–Arabic digit Circa 300 BC, as part of the Brahmi numerals, various Indians wrote a digit 9 similar in shape to the modern closing question mark without the bot ...

, - , rowspan="3" , 61 , rowspan="3" , Melissa Hortman , rowspan="3" , January 8, 2019 , rowspan="3" , January 14, 2025 , rowspan="3" , DFL , rowspan="3" , , 91st , - ,

92nd 9 (nine) is the natural number following and preceding . Evolution of the Hindu–Arabic digit Circa 300 BC, as part of the Brahmi numerals, various Indians wrote a digit 9 similar in shape to the modern closing question mark without the bot ...

, - , 93rd , - , — , — , January 14, 2025 , February 6, 2025 , , Vacant ,

Lisa Demuth Lisa Demuth ( ; born February 10, 1967) is an American politician serving since 2025 as the speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives. A member of the Republican Party of Minnesota, Demuth represents District 13A in central Minnesota, whi ...

(Republican) was purportedly elected on the aforementioned date; the

Minnesota Supreme Court The Minnesota Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The court hears cases in the Supreme Court chamber in the Minnesota State Capitol or in the nearby Minnesota Judicial Center. History The court was first assemb ...

invalidated her election, finding that the House did not have a

quorum A quorum is the minimum number of members of a group necessary to constitute the group at a meeting. In a deliberative assembly (a body that uses parliamentary procedure, such as a legislature), a quorum is necessary to conduct the business of ...

to transact the business of electing her , rowspan="2" , 94th , - , 62 ,

, February 6, 2025 , Incumbent , , Republican , First African-American speaker
First biracial speaker First female Republican Speaker

Notes on Minnesota political party names

Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party The Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL) is a political party in the U.S. state of Minnesota affiliated with the national Democratic Party. The party was formed by a merger between the Minnesota Democratic Party and the Minneso ...

: On April 15, 1944, the state Democratic Party and the

Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party Minnesota ( ) is a state in the Upper Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario to the north and east and by the U.S. states of Wisconsin to the east, Iowa to the south, and Nor ...

merged and created the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL). It is affiliated with the national Democratic Party. *

Republican Party of Minnesota The Republican Party of Minnesota is the state affiliate of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party in Minnesota and the oldest active political party in the state. Founded in 1855, the party is headquartered in Edina, Minnesota, E ...

: From November 15, 1975, to September 23, 1995, the name of the state Republican party was the Independent-Republican party (I-R). The party has always been affiliated with the national Republican Party. In 1913, Minnesota legislators began to be elected on nonpartisan ballots. Nonpartisanship also was an historical accident that occurred in the 1913 session when a bill to provide for no party elections of judges and city and county officers was amended to include the Legislature in the belief that it would kill the bill. Legislators ran and caucused as "Liberals" or "Conservatives" roughly equivalent in most years to Democratic-Farmer-Labor and Republican, respectively. The law was changed in 1973, in 1974, House members again ran with party designation.

Speaker Emeritus

Under House rules, former speakers who are serving in the House are given the title of ''Speaker

Emeritus ''Emeritus/Emerita'' () is an honorary title granted to someone who retires from a position of distinction, most commonly an academic faculty position, but is allowed to continue using the previous title, as in "professor emeritus". In some c ...

''. While the position has no formal power, the title is seen as a sign of respect for former speakers.Minnesota House Rules
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References

External links

* List of speakers a
Minnesota Legislative Library
{{DEFAULTSORT:List Of Speakers Of The Minnesota House Of Representatives . Minnesota Legislature

Minnesota Minnesota ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Upper Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario to the north and east and by the U.S. states of Wisconsin to the east, Iowa to the so ...