Hi John,
Like you, we’re grieving the news that Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, were killed in a politically motivated shooting over the weekend. State Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette were also shot—thankfully, they survived and are now recovering in the hospital.
Although we’re grateful that the shooter has since been caught, we are devastated at this senseless loss of life, and we know that it raises important questions for the entire Swing Left community.
There’s deep concern across our entire volunteer community who are asking hard, urgent questions about how we can stay safe while continuing to stay politically engaged.
As we work to move forward, there’s one thing we know for sure: Melissa Hortman’s leadership was a powerful example of what we can accomplish when Democrats govern with courage and compassion. Under her leadership, Minnesota made historic progress on abortion rights, voting access, climate action, and much, much more.
Her vision and voice made the state a model for progress nationwide—and she accomplished all of it with the slimmest of Democratic majorities, underscoring the importance of her leadership and the impact that even a single electoral win can make.
So while it’s hard to find words that feel adequate in a moment like this, the work to build political power, keep people safe, and defend our democracy has never been more necessary.
We’re holding Speaker Hortman, Senator Hoffman, their families, and everyone affected by this horrific act of violence in our hearts. And we’re more committed than ever to this work.
— The Swing Left Team
