Elections to determine balance of power in Minnesota Legislature
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Several seats in Congress could be flipped Tuesday and could affect the balance of power on both the state and federal level.
Minnesota is the only state in the nation with a split state legislature right now.
Democrats have complete control of 19 legislatures across the country, while Republicans control 29. Nebraska’s legislature is nonpartisan.
Control of state legislatures is important, especially in a census year, because they draw the congressional districts for the next decade in many states, which ultimately affects the outcome of future elections.
In Minnesota, all 201 seats are up for grabs.
Republicans control the Senate by three seats; the DFL has 16 more seats in the House.
Both parties want to gain control of both chambers. The next legislature will tackle key issues, including the budget deficit, redistricting, and the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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On the federal level, even if former Vice President Joe Biden wins, he may struggle to pass major legislation in Washington unless Democrats also control the U.S. Senate.
Democrats are likely to lose the Senate seat they hold in Alabama.
So, they would need to flip four or five Republican-held seats to take control of the Senate.
There are tight races in eight states, with the Democratic candidates leading in the polls for four of those contests going into Election Day.