Democratic Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark Hortman, were honored in an emotional ceremony Friday as thousands gathered at the State Capitol in St. Paul to pay their respects. The couple was shot and killed in their home on June 14 in what authorities have confirmed was a targeted political assassination. Their golden retriever, who was gravely injured in the attack, had to be euthanized and lay beside them in tribute.
Former President Joe Biden arrived at the Capitol in the late afternoon, spending a quiet moment in front of the caskets. He made the sign of the cross, knelt, and later spoke with handlers of service dogs standing nearby.
Melissa Hortman, who served as Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives, was remembered not just as one of the state’s most influential lawmakers, but as a kind and conscientious public servant. Friends and colleagues described her as a leader who worked tirelessly to make life better for working families, fighting for policies such as insulin affordability, early childhood education, assisted living reforms, free school meals, and free college tuition for low-income Minnesotans.
After losing the House majority by a single vote, she demonstrated her ability to compromise by negotiating a power-sharing agreement and passing a bipartisan budget.
Mark Hortman was known by loved ones simply as Mark—a man with an infectious spirit who loved mountain biking, fine whiskeys, music, playing pool, and, above all, his family.
In the days since the tragedy, political rhetoric has only deepened divisions. Friends expressed anguish over efforts to distort the motives behind the attack. Some public figures, including a sitting U.S. senator, have spread false claims about the suspect’s political affiliations. Loved ones and colleagues urged the public to focus instead on honoring the Hortmans’ lives and standing against all forms of political violence.
A private funeral service for Melissa and Mark will be held Saturday morning.
For many in Minnesota and across the country, the loss is deeply personal. As one friend shared, “America lost a great leader yesterday, and I lost a great friend.”
🙏 Rest in peace, Melissa and Mark.
