Minnesota lawmakers shot, manhunt underway for Vance Boelter: Live updates

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Democratic National Committee executive committeeman Ron Harris said he socialized with all four victims last night at the Humphrey-Mondale Dinner, the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party’s largest annual fundraiser.

“I literally just saw them hours before,” Harris said in an interview tonight. “The Humphrey-Mondale Dinner is like a family reunion for Minnesota Democrats. All four of them were there.”

The event was held at the Minneapolis Hilton. Harris said he spoke with four people who may have been on a list of potential targets left by suspect Vance Boelter, who’s still at large.

Authorities allege the suspect fatally shot state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, and injured state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette. The attacks were deemed acts of politically motivated violence.

“People I know, people I work with, were on it,” he said. “John was No. 3. Melissa was No. 4. That’s how people are talking right now — by their number on the list, not their name.”

Harris said he had just received a call from a politician who must campaign soon to keep their job.

“One woman who was on the list called me right before you did,” he said. “She told me: ‘I don’t even know if I want to run for re-election. What do I need this for?’”

Harris said the long-term risk goes beyond one act of violence.

“What I worry about is good people opting out of public service,” he said. “It should be the most honorable job — to serve the people. But the environment right now is dangerous.”

Hortman’s killing is tragic, and she will be deeply missed, he said.

“Melissa was one of the smartest, hardest-working elected officials I’ve ever met,” Harris said. “She was a numbers person — she always had the facts, always came prepared. She made sure she knew the details before making any decisions.”

“But more than that,” he added, “she was inclusive. She treated staff with the same respect she gave other electeds. She always went out of her way to talk to people in the room, especially the ones standing off to the side or alone.”

Harris said his relationship with Hortman was about more than keeping political score.

“We were Facebook friends, and I used to post pictures of my nieces,” he said. “Melissa would always ask about them. She remembered people. She cared.”

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