Assassinated Dem lawmaker Melissa Hortman sided with Republicans before Minnesota shooting, voted to revoke...

Melissa Hortman, a Minnesota Democratic state senator, was fatally shot by a gunman, days after voting with GOPs to deny health care to undocumented immigrant

Updated on: Jun 15, 2025, 21:24:14 IST

By Shweta Kukreti

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Melissa Hortman, the Democratic state senator from Minnesota who was killed by a crazy shooter wearing a rubber mask, had just weeks before crossed party lines by voting to deny illegal migrants health care coverage.

Minnesota representative Melissa Hortman was shot dead in her home on Saturday. (AP)

Hortman was the sole member of her party to vote with Republicans in favor of eliminating taxpayer-funded health insurance for undocumented immigrants in this year's budget plan, NY POST reported.

She and her husband were shot dead on Saturday in Brooklyn Park, outside of Minneapolis, just after the suspect shot at Democratic state senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, critically injuring them.

Authorities are searching for Vance Luther Boetler, 57, a political appointee of Governor Tim Walz, who is suspected of leaving behind a deranged "manifesto" that lists the names of 70 people, including Walz.

Days earlier, on June 10, Hortman voted in favor of a state budget plan that denied illegal immigrants over the age of 18 access to MinnesotaCare benefits.

Also Read: How did Sen. John Hoffman's wife save their daughter from Minnesota shooter Vance Boelter? Chilling details revealed

Here's what Melissa Hortman said after siding with Republicans

Opening up about the ire of her fellow DFL members, Hortman told KTTC-TV that she "did what leaders do, I stepped up, and I got the job done for the people of Minnesota."

According to Hortman, they had good reason to be upset with her. “I think some of them are pretty, pretty angry. I think that their job was to make folks who voted for that bill feel like crap, and I think that they succeeded,” she stated.

Disappointed lawmaker further mentioned that she had voted for the healthcare provision just to support the budget agreement, which the state Senate subsequently approved. The budget is anticipated to be signed into law by Walz.

According to Alpha News, state senator Hoffman voted against the healthcare measure.

What was the reason behind Minnesota shooting

The precise reason behind the shootings is yet unknown, despite the fact that Saturday's killings were believed to be political.

The Minnesota State Patrol posted a picture of a set of flyers that stated “No Kings” that were discovered in the suspect's car on X on Saturday.

The catchphrase has turned into a rallying cry for the anti-Trump demonstrations that is taking place around the country this weekend.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shweta Kukreti
Shweta Kukreti has over 8 years of experience in covering Indian and world politics. She joined the Hindustan Times in 2024 and is primarily assigned to the US desk. She currently works as Deputy Chief Content Producer and reports on a wide range of topics, including US politics, immigration issues (especially H-1B visa) and major global events. Shweta strongly emphasizes team operations, which encompasses monitoring news, delegating tasks, editing, developing comprehensive coverage strategies, and crafting engaging, and data-informed narratives. She received the Digi Star Award at the Hindustan Times within a year of joining for her broad coverage of US politics. In 2025, she earned both a promotion and a redesignation, a significant achievement recognising her contributions and the strong value she brings to the team. She has previously worked with the Indian Express, HTDS, ANI and Republic World. Seniors in all the media organisations recognised her work. Regarding education, she earned a BA (Hons.) in Political Science and a master's degree from Delhi University, and she pursued a PG Diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Institution of Mass Communication (IIMC). She also holds a diploma in Women's Empowerment and Development from IGNOU University and a French certification course from Alliance Française de Delhi. If not working, you can find her exploring the hills and engaging in adventurous activities in Rishikesh and Himachal Pradesh. She loves to play badminton, volleyball, and chess, and spend time with her friends and family. She also enjoys spiritual activities.Read More

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