Minnesota Senate GOP elects Jeremy Miller as new majority leader

The Senate GOP caucus chose Sen. Jeremy Miller to take over as majority leader late Wednesday after Sen. Paul Gazelka stepped down last week to pursue a run for governor.

Miller, a Winona Republican, most recently served as Senate president, a post he has held since 2019. Miller described himself to reporters at an introductory press conference on Thursday as having been "more of a behind the scenes kind of guy" but he now assumes one of three key leadership posts at the Capitol and the only one currently held by the GOP.

"I'm certainly not the only one that could be standing up here today because of the amount of talent we have but I did it because I know I have the opportunity to unite our caucus," Miller said. "And at the same time work together with colleagues on both sides of the aisle in the House and Senate to get things done."

Shortly after his election, Miller hailed the Senate GOP's work in recent years on lowering taxes, "historic funding for the education of our students, stabilizing healthcare markets, fixing MNLARS, prioritizing small businesses, and supporting our law enforcement." Miller takes over ahead of a 2022 session expected to be dominated by debates over capital investment funding and redistricting.

Before that, lawmakers had expected to return this month for a special session to vote on a $250 million relief package for frontline pandemic workers. But the Legislature needs Gov. Tim Walz to formally call it back and the governor said recently that he would not do so without a commitment from the Senate GOP that the caucus would not seek to oust any more of his commissioners.

Walz's comments came after Sen. Jim Abeler, R-Anoka, suggested that the Senate would vote to remove Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm over Republicans' displeasure at the state's pandemic response.

Miller said Thursday that Republicans were "not ready" to commit to not removing any commissioners at the next special session, but he did express concerns over Malcolm's performance.

"I will share that there are serious concerns about Commissioner Malcolm that we heard from constituents but I will also say that it is an ongoing conversation within our caucus and we'll have to see how it plays out," Miller said.

He added that a working group designed to recommend how to disburse the frontline worker relief money "is close to an agreement" days after it missed a deadline to make a final decision.

Miller, 38, was first elected to the Senate in 2010 and is the youngest to serve as Senate president. He said Thursday that the Senate Republican Caucus would choose his successor as president ahead of the next special session.

Miller is also chief financial officer for the family-owned Wm. Miller Scrap Iron & Metal Co., and is vice president of the Morrie Miller Athletic Foundation, a youth sports organization.

Miller's election is the latest shake-up to leadership in the Minnesota Senate a year before a midterm election in which the governors' office and all 201 seats in the Legislature will be contested. The Senate DFL minority caucus must also choose a new leader after Minority Leader Susan Kent announced this month that she was stepping down from her post and won't seek re-election next fall. The caucus meets Monday to elect a new leader.

Stephen Montemayor • 612-673-1755

Twitter: @smontemayor