Minnesota House Republicans are threatening to drag out a planned one- or two-day special session later this week unless Democrats give them more say in the final state budget. The people who cut the budget deal — Governor Tim Walz, Senate Republican Majority Leader Paul Gazelka and Democratic House Speaker Melissa Hortman — need House Republicans’ approval to fast-track bills in a special session, and to pass a bonding bill for roads and bridges. House Republican Minority Leader Kurt Daudt says, “I don’t think that they actually think that they need us, but I can make it a five-day special session or a one-day special session, and I can include a bonding bill in that special session or not at all — so hopefully they understand and appreciate that.”
Daudt is talking to Democrats, but fellow Republican, Senate Majority Leader Gazelka says, “My guess is, by the time we get to Friday, people are gonna say, you know, I really like to get done. We can get done. We’re gonna be able to have seen the bills for a long period of time. My guess is, people are gonna want to be gone.”