▁won ▁a ▁majority ▁of ▁seats ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 2 ▁election , ▁after ▁losing ▁a ▁majority ▁to ▁the ▁Republic ans ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁election . ▁The ▁new ▁Legisl ature ▁conven ed ▁on ▁January ▁ 3 , ▁ 2 0 1 7 . ▁ ▁Background ▁The ▁last ▁election ▁resulted ▁in ▁the ▁Minnesota ▁Democratic – F ar mer – L abor ▁Party ▁( DF L ) ▁winning ▁a ▁majority ▁of ▁seats , ▁after ▁losing ▁a ▁majority ▁to ▁the ▁Republican ▁Party ▁of ▁Minnesota ▁only ▁two ▁years ▁earlier ▁in ▁the ▁previous ▁election . ▁This ▁resulted ▁in ▁the ▁Republic ans ▁losing ▁the ▁only ▁majority ▁they ▁have ▁had ▁since ▁the ▁return ▁of ▁part isan ▁elections ▁to ▁the ▁Senate ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 6 . ▁In ▁conj unction ▁with ▁the ▁result ▁of ▁the ▁House ▁election , ▁it ▁also ▁resulted ▁in ▁the ▁return ▁of ▁all - DF L ▁control ▁of ▁the ▁Legisl ature ▁since ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁the ▁return ▁of ▁all - party ▁and ▁all - DF L ▁control ▁of ▁the ▁Legisl ature ▁and ▁governor ship ▁since ▁ 1 9 9 0 , ▁which ▁ended ▁with ▁the ▁election ▁of ▁a ▁Republican ▁majority ▁to ▁the ▁House ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 4 . ▁ ▁Elect oral ▁system ▁The ▁ 6 7 ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁Senate ▁were ▁elected ▁from ▁single - member ▁districts ▁via ▁first - p ast - the - post ▁voting ▁for ▁four - year ▁terms . ▁Cont ested ▁nomin ations ▁of ▁the ▁D FL ▁and ▁Republican ▁parties ▁for