MINNEAPOLIS — From Gov. Tim Walz becoming the Democratic nominee for vice president to the whirlwind conclusion of Minnesota’s legislative session, 2024 was packed with political highlights in the state. 

Here’s a look back at some of the biggest moments of the year. 

2024 Election

Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris selected Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to be her vice presidential running mate, putting the state in the national spotlight for the 2024 presidential election. 

President-elect Donald Trump would go on to win the November election thanks, in part, to the battleground state of Wisconsin flipping in favor of Trump. However, the Minnesota section of the “blue wall” held on Election Day, marking the 13th straight presidential race where the Democratic candidate won the state — and the seventh time that candidate lost.

Trump wasted little time after becoming president-elect to start announcing picks for his cabinet. Just one week after the election, Trump announced he would be selecting Minnesotan Pete Hegseth to lead the Department of Defense. The Fox News Channel host was valedictorian at Forest Lake High School and was a member of the Minnesota National Guard.

On a state level, a close House race has resulted in a court battle.

Incumbent DFL Rep. Brad Tabke beat GOP candidate Aaron Paul by 14 votes and maintained his lead after a recount in the race for House District 54A covering Shakopee. Now, Paul is asking a judge to invalidate the results after an investigation by county officials found 21 missing ballots were likely thrown away in the trash and cannot be recovered.

If the results are invalidated, the seat would be declared vacant and a special election would happen sometime early next year. The race will determine control of the House. 

Around 45,000 Minnesota Democrats voted for “uncommitted” instead of incumbent President Biden during the presidential primary in March. The votes were the result of an effort by Uncommitted MN, a group protesting Biden’s stance on the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

Chaotic end to Minnesota legislative session

In May, political tensions reached a boiling point over a last-minute decision by Democrats to put their unfinished priorities into one bill to get them across the finish line.

Democrats bypassed debate and went straight to a vote on a tax bill in which they added provisions from eight other proposals. The move resulted in a descension into chaos in the Minnesota Legislature.

Democrats said the state House did what was needed to pass their agenda, while Republicans were yelling “tyranny” and “communism” in the final minutes of the session, seeking motions to stop the vote. 

What bills did and didn’t pass the Minnesota Legislature this year?

PASSED

DIDN’T PASS

New laws in effect in 2024

Other headlines

In April, Sen. Nicole Mitchell, DFL-Woodbury, was charged with first-degree burglary. According to the criminal complaint, Mitchell is accused of burgling her stepmother’s home in Detroit Lakes. Mitchell has pleaded not guilty, denied stealing and stayed in office despite calls from Democrats and Republicans for her to resign.    

Cannabis regulators are pushing a plan for the initial rollout of the state’s legal marijuana market to spring of next year following a judge’s decision to halt a planned lottery last month to choose the first business license holders.  

The state’s new flag and State Seal are now in official use, following months of meetings, spirited debates, design submissions and an attempt by some Republican lawmakers to halt the flag’s rollout. 

Minnesota is expected to have a $616 million surplus in the next two-year budget, according to the latest forecast, but state officials say there is a looming $5 billion deficit in future years. 

Nicole Hensley made back-to-back saves in the shootout and the Minnesota Frost earned their fourth straight victory with a 4-3 win over the New York Sirens on Sunday in Newark, N.J.

It was the fourth time in seven all-time meetings that a game between the teams was decided in OT and the second this season. New York won the season opener in St. Paul, Minn.

Kendall Coyne Schofield scored two first-period goals to stake the Frost to the early lead and Taylor Heise beat Kayle Osborne, who relieved starter Abigail Levy in the New York net to start the second period, two minutes in to make it a 3-0 lead.

WATCH l Heise scores shootout winner:

But Osborne did not allow another goal in regulation and wasn’t seriously challenged in overtime while the Sirens staged a comeback. Brooke Hobson and Elizabeth Giguere each scored in the second period and Alex Carpenter pounced on a loose puck and lifted a shot over Hensley’s shoulder from deep in the face-off circle to tie the game midway through the third period.

Hensley was brilliant in overtime, turning away four close-in, open shots by the Sirens (2-1-1-1), two of them on breakaway chances.

Minnesota (4-0-1-0) got goals from Denisa Křížová, Grace Zumwinkle and Heise in the shootout. Noora Tulus and Carpenter each converted in the shootout for New York, but Hensley came up with a save on Sarah Fillier before stopping the final two shooters for the Sirens.

Hensley finished with 33 saves on 36 shots to earn the win. Osborne made 18 saves on 19 shots over her 45 minutes in goal for New York. Carpenter’s two-goal effort lifted her past Coyne Schofield and into the league lead with four goals in her first five games and she now has a league-leading seven points.

WATCH l Sirens’ Fillier, Carpenter test their off-ice chemistry:

New York Sirens’ Sarah Fillier, Alex Carpenter test their off-ice chemistry

Host Anastasia Bucsis puts newest teammates and linemates to the test to determine if their chemistry on the ice, translates off it.