For Thissen, a new role leading the minority

Two days after Republicans flipped 11 House seats to take control 72-62, the DFL caucus elected Rep. Paul Thissen as House minority leader-designate. No ballot was necessary. Thissen, the only candidate for the position, was voted in overwhelmingly by fellow Democrats.

Thissen, who was elected House speaker when the DFL took over the majority in 2012, will hang on to his more powerful role until the 2015 session begins Jan. 5. Thissen, who said he was "happy and honored" by the vote of confidence, said that although he'd rather be in the majority, he has little doubt the DFL will eventually regain control of the House.

"We believe Minnesotans think the state is going in the right direction," Thissen said. "Off-year elections are very difficult, but we don't see the election results as a referendum on the good work we did over the last two years. We want to continue that."

Thissen, a 49-year-old attorney from Minneapolis, was first elected in 2002 and during his reign as speaker enjoyed complete DFL control of the House, Senate and governor's office.

In those two years, the Legislature legalized same-sex marriage, raised taxes on high earners and increased the minimum wage. Thissen worked with House Minority Leader Kurt Daudt, and the two switched roles when Daudt was elected House speaker by the House Republican caucus on Friday, calling it, "The greatest honor of my life."

DFL Rep. John Lesch of St. Paul said that although former speakers who lose the majority don't traditionally take on a minority leadership role, he's satisfied with ­Thissen.

"I'm happy," he said. "My normal thought is when you lose you do a changeover, but in reality Paul Thissen did everything he needed to do, and he also performed exceptionally well," Lesch said. "I know that, speaking for myself, I didn't want his good work to be ignored in light of our unfortunate loss of control."

"Representative Daudt has, I think, in the past shown himself to be someone who at least would try to be reasonable and listen to the concerns of folks," Lesch said. "I know that we have shown ourselves to be willing to work with Representative Daudt on these issues when he was in the minority, and I fully expect he would respond in kind."

Thissen was already warming to his new role, taking a shot at Republicans for nothing but "boiler plate talking points" about the future. But he is realistic about the potential for conflict.