Honoring Melissa and Mark Hortman, and Lifting Up the Hoffmans
 Dear Friends and Neighbors,
This is one of the hardest letters I’ve ever had to write.
I was asked to share some thoughts on the devastating news surrounding the assassination of Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, as well as the shooting of Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette. And to be completely honest—I’m still struggling to find the right words. There is no way to make sense of what has happened.
Early Saturday morning, I received a text alerting me to attacks at the homes of Minnesota legislators. At that moment, the details were scarce. All we knew was to remain vigilant and stay in communication with local authorities. Then the unthinkable was confirmed: our colleague and friend Melissa Hortman and her husband had been murdered in their home. It didn’t feel real. It still doesn’t.
The rest of Saturday was spent in calls and texts with fellow legislators—checking in on one another, watching the news unfold in disbelief, and trying to wrap our minds around what had happened. Friends, neighbors, and constituents reached out to ask if we were safe. I’m grateful to say my family is okay—but many families are not. Many across Minnesota were left heartbroken, asking “why?” and finding no satisfying answers.
By Sunday evening, the suspect had been taken into custody. Much has been shared about him since, and while I won’t go into further detail here, I hope justice will be served swiftly and completely.
Sunday was also Father’s Day. For the first time in years, my parents, siblings, and our families were all together in one place. We had been planning the gathering for a long time. At first, I wasn’t sure we should still go. But in the end, we did. I'm glad we did. While the cousins played and laughed, the adults reflected, grieved, and tried to process the week’s events. I thought of the families who will never again gather whole—of children who won’t get to laugh with their parents, of spouses whose seats are now empty. The pain is enormous, and it still doesn’t make sense.
When I think about the legislature, I don’t just see 67 Senators and 134 Representatives—I see 201 people who, over time, become something like a family. We don’t always agree. We challenge one another. We vote differently. But underneath the partisanship, most of us are here for the same reason: to serve. We share a commitment to our communities, and in doing this work together, we celebrate each other’s joys and grieve each other’s losses.
That’s what makes this so difficult. Melissa was more than a public figure—she was a person, and it was an honor to serve with her. I have many fond memories of her. She had a sharp mind, a big heart, and a great sense of humor. When I was first elected in a special election back in 2019, she dubbed me “The New Guy”—a nickname that stuck for years. It wasn’t until 2022 that she laughed and told me it didn’t quite fit anymore since so many new members had joined. That was Melissa—sharp, witty, and always aware of the bigger picture.
In the days ahead, we must come together—not just as elected officials, but as a community and as Minnesotans. We must work harder to build bridges instead of walls. Our country is deeply divided, and while there are many reasons for that, I believe social media has played a powerful role in fueling the divide. Too often, we only hear the voices we already agree with. We lose the ability to be challenged, to grow, and to listen with an open heart.
If we want to honor the lives we’ve lost, we need to change that. We need to be willing to have tough conversations—with kindness, with humility, and with the hope of understanding. We must choose compassion over division, dialogue over blame.
Speaker Hortman’s legacy deserves more than silence or political rhetoric. It deserves action—real action—in how we speak to one another, treat one another, and carry ourselves forward from here.
Thank you for allowing me to share these thoughts during such a difficult time. Please continue to keep the Hortman and Hoffman families in your prayers. And please continue to reach out, to care for your neighbors, and to lead with love.
With a heavy but hopeful heart,
Representative Nathan Nelson
Minnesota House of Representatives, District 11B
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