ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Democratic House leader Melissa Hortman said she has been unable to make contact with her Republican counterpart to negotiate a new power-sharing agreement and end the Democratic boycott that has put the House into gridlock. Hortman, D-Brooklyn Park, said she was at the Capitol at 9 a.m, ready to negotiate, but the Republican leader Lisa Demuth refused to meet. “I’ll be at the Capitol ready to negotiate at 9 a.m. tomorrow as well, and I hope she will join me,” Hortman said. Demuth, R-Cold Spring, meanwhile, has insisted that her willingness to negotiate has been “very clear.” Said Demuth:“If she has something that she wants to talk about in a serious offer, I’m willing to have that conversation.”
Demuth. Republican House leader.
Hortman. Democratic House reader.