Minnesota Democrats Sweep Special Elections Amid ICE Crackdown
In a crucial win for the Democratic Party, attorney Meg Luger-Nikolai secured nearly 95% of the vote in House District 64A on Tuesday, leaving her Republican opponent Dan Walsh with less than 5%. Meanwhile, former Prairie Island Indian Community Tribal Council president Shelley Buck won an uncontested election in House District 47A, securing over 97% of the vote.
The elections come as a backlash to President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown, which has seen fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis by federal agents this year. The incidents have sparked widespread outrage, with protests taking place outside Senator Amy Klobuchar's office, chanting "ICE OUT".
Democrat Luger-Nikolai's victory is particularly notable given the high proportion of votes she secured compared to her previous election in November 2024, where Democrat Kaohly Vang Her won with just under 84% of the vote. The special elections took place after the Democrats who previously held the seats were elected to other offices.
The Trump administration's handling of these incidents has been widely criticized, with some politicians calling for the abolition of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The issue is set to come back into focus ahead of mid-term elections in November 2026, where Democrats will likely face off against Republican opponents.
In a crucial win for the Democratic Party, attorney Meg Luger-Nikolai secured nearly 95% of the vote in House District 64A on Tuesday, leaving her Republican opponent Dan Walsh with less than 5%. Meanwhile, former Prairie Island Indian Community Tribal Council president Shelley Buck won an uncontested election in House District 47A, securing over 97% of the vote.
The elections come as a backlash to President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown, which has seen fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis by federal agents this year. The incidents have sparked widespread outrage, with protests taking place outside Senator Amy Klobuchar's office, chanting "ICE OUT".
Democrat Luger-Nikolai's victory is particularly notable given the high proportion of votes she secured compared to her previous election in November 2024, where Democrat Kaohly Vang Her won with just under 84% of the vote. The special elections took place after the Democrats who previously held the seats were elected to other offices.
The Trump administration's handling of these incidents has been widely criticized, with some politicians calling for the abolition of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The issue is set to come back into focus ahead of mid-term elections in November 2026, where Democrats will likely face off against Republican opponents.
I'm kinda surprised by how much support the Democratic Party's got right now especially with the recent ICE crackdown happening. It feels like people are really angry about those fatal shootings in Minneapolis 
and it's like they're channeling that anger into voting for Democrats. But at the same time, I don't think anyone's saying what this is actually gonna change or do...I mean, we still got a long way to go on immigration reform and stuff. And it's also kinda interesting how these special elections are being seen as a 'backlash' against Trump, but not like it's necessarily a reflection of the overall public mood 
. The whole ICE situation is just so concerning and the party's response to it has been clear: we need change.
. The protests outside Klobuchar's office chanting "ICE OUT" were pretty intense, it's like people are seriously fed up with the way things have been going 
.
. Those fatal shootings were absolutely devastating and I think it's only fair that people are demanding change 
. It's not about being anti-immigrant, it's about treating everyone with dignity and respect 
. The fact that Shelley Buck got almost 100% of the vote in her uncontested election is a clear indication that most people want to move away from this kind of aggressive enforcement 
. I'm actually hoping that both parties will come together on this issue and find some common ground. We need to keep working towards a more compassionate immigration system 
.
. I mean, can't we just have a respectful conversation about immigration instead of resorting to protests and chants? It's all getting pretty heated...
! It's about time we see a shift in the way our country handles immigration issues 
. The whole ICE crackdown thing is just crazy 
, showing that we won't be silenced 
. I mean, 95% of the vote for Luger-Nikolai is a major win 
and shows that Democrats are really making progress #DemocracyInAction #ImmigrationReformNow #ICEOUT 
and ppl are so upset about those fatal shootings in minneapolis.