By Rich Larson, KYMN News
The Minnesota House of Representatives convened Tuesday for what should have been a routine opening day of session. Instead, the chamber was filled with emotion as lawmakers dedicated the day to remembering former House Speaker Melissa Hortman, who was assassinated on June 14. For Representative Kristi Pursell (DFL-Northfield), the day was defined by both grief and gratitude.
“Tuesday was a really hard day, and we knew that going in,” Pursell said. “There have been so many hard days since her assassination, but this one was especially powerful.”
Pursell had shared close friendship with Hortman, spending one of their final days together during a June special session last year. On opening day, Pursell was photographed standing behind Hortman’s now-empty desk, alongside her colleague and friend, Representative Mary Frances Clardy. “It felt so strange to see that space bare again,” Pursell reflected. “Melissa made it her own—with her sparkling water, Cheetos, decor, and so much life. Walking in there now, it just felt empty, like we were starting over.”
The ceremony brought together current and former lawmakers, family members, and officials from across the state. Pursell said the meticulous planning behind the tributes reflected not only Hortman’s attention to detail but her enduring commitment to the institution of democracy. “She was really an institution,” Pursell said. “We wanted to honor everything she meant to us—her leadership, her resilience, and her belief in Minnesotans.”
Former Representative Liz Olson, whom Hortman had mentored, opened the day with the Prayer of St. Francis—a prayer Hortman kept in her purse. “When Liz stepped up to speak, there was a collective gasp,” Pursell said. “It was such a moving moment.”
After formal proceedings, members gathered privately to share cake and bread—symbols of Hortman’s warmth and the community she nurtured. “Melissa loved to bake cakes for her staff, and her husband, Mark, was known for his bread,” Pursell recalled. “It felt like something they would have wanted—simple, inclusive, bipartisan.”
Though the following day brought a return to committee work, Pursell admitted the chamber still felt the weight of absence. “Every single person in that chamber—except one—had only ever served with Melissa,” Pursell said. “Her presence is everywhere. But now, we carry her forward in how we show up, how we govern, and how we honor democracy.”
For Pursell and her colleagues, the session began not with policy debates—but with remembrance, healing, and a renewed commitment to the values their late leader championed.
Rich Larson is the owner and General Manager of KYMN Radio. Contact him at rich@kymnradio.net
