Lisa Demuth is a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives, representing District 13A. She assumed office on January 8, 2019. Her current term ends on January 12, 2027. The Minnesota House of Representatives elected Demuth state speaker of the House on February 6, 2025. She defeated Rep. Melissa Hortman by a 67-65 vote along party lines. Demuth was the first Black person and first female Republican to be elected House speaker. Demuth was born in Paynesville, Minnesota, in 1967. She received a diploma from Bloomington Kennedy High School in 1985. Demuth was a business owner. Before being elected to the state House in 2018, Demuth served on the Rockville-Cold Spring-Richmond School District School Board from 2007 to 2018. In November 2022, House Republicans elected Demuth state House minority leader for the 2023-2024 legislative session. Minnesota was a Democratic trifecta heading into 2024; however, following the 2024 elections, the House was split 67-67, resulting in a divided government. After the election, Rep.-elect Curtis Johnson was found ineligible to serve because he did not live in the district, giving Republicans a 67-66 majority until a March 11, 2025, special election in which David Gottfried was elected to fill the vacancy. Before the special election, both parties reached a power-sharing agreement in February 2025 where Republicans governed as the majority, electing Demuth. Once the House returned to a tie, both parties shared power and committees returned to equal party representation, except in the House Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight committee.
