The lawmakers who were shot on Saturday morning in Minnesota were State Representative Melissa Hortman, the top Democrat in the House, and State Senator John A. Hoffman, a fellow Democrat and longtime lawmaker.
Ms. Hortman, who was assassinated at her home in Brooklyn Park, Minn., was a lawyer by training and a legislator for about 20 years who served as the speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives from 2019 to 2025. She represented a reliably Democratic district and routinely won re-election by more than 20 percentage points.
She played a key role in passing a trove of bills during the 2023 session, when Democrats held a slim majority in the Legislature, including legislation that expanded abortion rights, legalized recreational marijuana and required employers to offer paid family and medical leave.
This year, under Ms. Hortman’s leadership, Democrats in the House boycotted the early weeks of the legislative session amid a fight for control of the chamber. Voters last year left Democrats and Republicans with an equal number of seats in the House, but challenges to two of the elections won by Democrats created a period of uncertainty around which party would control the chamber.
When those challenges were settled, Ms. Hortman agreed to let the top Republican in the House, Representative Lisa Demuth, serve as speaker.
Colleagues have long praised Ms. Hortman’s work ethic, negotiation skills and pragmatism.
Jerry Gale, Ms. Hortman’s campaign manager, said in an interview that she was a tireless campaigner who was passionate about recruiting fellow Democrats to run for office.
“She had a vision of what she wanted the state to be like, and she knew it was going to take a lot of work,” Mr. Gale said.
As the political rhetoric in the state grew more acrimonious in recent years, Mr. Gale said, Ms. Hortman worried about her safety.
“I think it did cross her mind at times on the campaign trail,” he said. Her own style was not combative, however. On the campaign trail and in the Capitol, Ms. Hortman kept her remarks short, to the point and civil, he said.
Ms. Hortman was married with two children, according to her state legislative biography. Her husband, Mark, was also shot and killed on Saturday.
Sen. John A. Hoffman has served in the Legislature since 2013. Before being elected, he served as a member of the Anoka-Hennepin School Board for several years.
Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota said the Hoffmans had both undergone surgery. “We are cautiously optimistic that they will survive this assassination attempt,” he said.
Mr. Hoffman, 60, was born in Casper, Wyo., and formerly made a living as a marketing and public relations professional. He and his wife, Yvette, have a daughter. They live in Champlin, a suburb north of Minneapolis. His home address was published on his biographical page on the Senate’s website.
Mr. Hoffman chairs the Senate’s Human Services Committee. He is a fourth-term senator, and won his most recent election by 10 percentage points.
“A hallmark of my approach is collaboration across the aisle,” Mr. Hoffman wrote in a letter to constituents ahead of last year’s legislative session. “I firmly believe that the path to progress for our state involves considering input from all perspectives, regardless of which party holds the majority.”
On his campaign website, Mr. Hoffman said he was particularly proud of his efforts to make it easier for people with disabilities to work. He also described himself as a conscientious steward of taxpayer dollars.
Ernesto Londoño is a Times reporter based in Minnesota, covering news in the Midwest and drug use and counternarcotics policy.
Mitch Smith is a Chicago-based national correspondent for The Times, covering the Midwest and Great Plains.
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