Melissa Hortman’ s influence at the Minnesota Capitol and her power as a Democratic leader to shape the course of a deeply divided Legislature were a far cry from her job as a teenager making chili-cheese burritos and overshadowed her volunteer work training service dogs for veterans.

Friends and colleagues mourning Melissa Hortman hailed the longtime Democratic legislator as a dedicated public servant, a straight-talking and savvy political operator and a kind and committed colleague,

From the wooden dais in the Minnesota House, then-Speaker Melissa Hortman presided two years ago over what many called the most consequential legislative session in recent history. She helped orchestrate the passage of long-held Democratic goals: increased education spending,

Minnesota State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark, were shot and killed early Saturday morning in “what appears to be a politically-motivated assassination,” Minnesota Governor Tim Walz said at a news conference Saturday.

Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard is urging lawmakers to be "vigilant and aware of their surroundings" following the shootings of two Minnesota lawmakers on Saturday.Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband were killed,

But there was a caring, apolitical gracefulness as well to Hortman, colleagues said. Garofalo said that in the days after the 2022 elections, when Democrats took control of state