House Speaker Rep. Lisa Demuth (R-Cold Spring) speaks after a House GOP leadership press conference at the Minnesota State Capitol in St. Paul, Minn. on Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. ] LEILA NAVIDI • leila.

Under a new power-sharing deal, Demuth will be speaker at least through next year. She spoke with MPR News host Cathy Wurzer.

The deal to end the weeks-long legislative standoff made history when Rep. Lisa Demuth (R-Cold Spring) became the first person of color to be elected as Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives on Thursday.

Rep. Lisa Demuth, representing Cold Spring, has been sworn-in as both the first Republican woman and person of color to be the speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives.

Rep. Lisa Demuth, a Republican from Cold Spring, has been elected as Speaker of the House after a power-sharing agreement was reached with Democrats. It ends a stalemate that prevented the chamber from conducting official business for more than three weeks.