Lone Republican in Minnesota House special election says residents want ‘stability and security’

As three Democrats vie for a north metro seat in the Minnesota House of Representatives, a Republican small business owner is already poised to face the winner of the DFL primary in the Sept. 16 general election.

Ruth Bittner was the only Republican to file for the House District 34B special election. As such, the Coon Rapids resident, real estate agent, and married mother of two will skip past the Aug. 12 primary and immediately be placed on the general election ballot.

However, Bittner says she does not plan to be complacent while her DFL counterparts use resources competing for their party’s nomination.

The vice chair of the GOP’s Third Congressional District, Bittner had a successful career in the food science industry before becoming a real estate agent. She has volunteered on several school board campaigns in the Anoka-Hennepin School District.

It was through those hands-on experiences that the Coon Rapids mom developed her own perspective on issues that cut across party lines and learned what voters in her community want from government.

“I believe the constituents of 34B are looking for stability and security,” Bittner told Alpha News this week. “In these uncertain and partisan times, families want the security of jobs, predictable housing, quality education, and safer communities.”

Bittner has never run for public office before.

“Constituents in this district are looking for a candidate to listen to their concerns and who will propose effective solutions in the legislature,” she added. “Constituents don’t need a candidate with an agenda who only plans to implement that agenda in St. Paul.”

Acknowledging the heartbreaking circumstances of special election

The special election for House District 34B was called earlier this month by Gov. Tim Walz after the death of Melissa Hortman, the previous occupant of the seat. In June, Hortman and her husband were assassinated in their home by a gunman.

Bittner called the circumstances surrounding the special election “heartbreaking.” The Coon Rapids mom praised Hortman’s legacy of service to the community she represented in the state legislature for more than 20 years.

“The senseless crime of killing Melissa and Mark Hortman has touched all Minnesotans,” Bittner said. “Melissa Hortman was a faithful servant of this state and specifically this House district for many years. She certainly cared deeply about her district and her constituents.”

Discussing how she would advocate for her fellow residents at the State Capitol, Bittner listed “fiscal responsibility in our state budget, safety and security in our communities, and educational excellence in our schools” as three of her priorities.

Legislative seat considered a DFL stronghold

House District 34B has been solid blue in recent elections, with Hortman winning her 11th term last November by nearly 27 points. The last time the seat saw a competitive race was in 2014. That year, a Republican challenger came within 650 votes, roughly 4 points, of winning the district.

However, special elections consistently see far less voter turnout than regularly scheduled elections, and that lower turnout can make special elections unpredictable. Back in 2016, Republican Chad Anderson won a special election for a Bloomington House seat that was previously held by a Democrat who had won the seat by 30 points less than two years prior.

As the granddaughter of a Minnesota farming family who grew up in the Twin Cities and raised her kids there, Bittner said she believes all Minnesotans deserve an opportunity to grow up in a state they love.

“I love Minnesota and our history in it,” she said, “and I want to see this state flourish in the future. That is why I am running.”

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