St. Paul Mayor-elect Kaohly Her is poised to assume leadership at City Hall, bringing with her nearly six years of experience in the Minnesota House of Representatives. Her, whose name is pronounced “kuh-LEE,” has represented a district that includes the Union Park, Macalester-Groveland, and Summit-University neighborhoods since she first won the seat in 2018. She succeeded Erin Murphy, who launched a campaign for governor that year.
During her tenure, Her rose to become the majority whip, the third-highest-ranking position in the Minnesota House DFL Caucus, and served as deputy speaker pro tempore. Her campaign for mayor emphasized a commitment to enhancing “core city services” and a focus on the fundamentals of governance. Former colleagues highlight Her’s strong organizational skills and attention to detail as essential assets that may aid her in fulfilling these objectives.
Reputation and Leadership Style
Colleagues at the state Capitol describe Her as a pragmatic leader who possesses a comprehensive understanding of legislative processes. “She’s extremely organized. She’s extremely thorough. She’s nuts and bolts, brass tacks, no detail left unturned,” remarked Dan Wolgamott, a fellow DFL member from St. Cloud who was elected to the Legislature at the same time as Her.
Wolgamott served alongside Her on the Legislative Commission on Pensions and Retirement, where she chaired the panel before her departure from the House. The commission is responsible for balancing the concerns of various public employee retirement plans while considering long-term financial implications. This year, the commission successfully advanced a bill that increased pensions for teachers, firefighters, and police with bipartisan support.
Wolgamott noted that his understanding of Her deepened during the pandemic when the Legislature conducted votes and hearings remotely. As whip, Her was responsible for ensuring that members participating by phone were present for votes, all while maintaining morale during lengthy sessions. “I think why she’s so successful is she has very high standards for how she operates,” he said, adding that she also ensures her colleagues feel cared for and supported.
Collaboration and Compromise
Former colleague Tim O’Driscoll, a Republican from Sartell, emphasized Her’s ability to find common ground. He believes that St. Paul residents will benefit from her experience in reaching equitable solutions. “She’s willing to work, and she’s willing to let people continue to work on things till we get to the right answer,” he said. The ability to compromise proved vital in a closely divided Legislature, where last year’s election resulted in a House comprised of 67 DFL and 67 Republican members.
O’Driscoll praised Her’s finance background, which he deemed essential in shaping legislation concerning retirement payouts and ages for public employees. He noted that the work done on pensions typically does not attract significant media attention, indicating effective policymaking. “If you don’t hear about what we did, we must have done our job right,” he said.
In her role on the House Commerce Committee, Her managed a range of policy issues, including financial services, insurance, consumer protection, energy, and telecommunications. The committee is influential, often requiring bipartisan support to advance its initiatives. “There’s a lot of revenue that flows in there, there’s a lot of regulation that flows through there,” said Rich Ginsberg, a lobbyist with extensive experience at the Minnesota Capitol.
This year, the Commerce Committee dealt with significant legislation, including the regulation of legal cannabis and the establishment of a new position to mediate disputes between tenants and homeowners’ associations. Additionally, the committee advanced a bill to bolster the state’s reinsurance program, which officials claim helped prevent health insurance premiums from rising significantly.
Her has also advocated for tenants’ rights and proposed a reporting requirement for lost or stolen firearms. While the latter measure passed in the House in 2024, it did not advance through the Senate. In a notable legislative achievement, Her authored a bill in 2020 that prohibited child marriage in Minnesota, banning minors from marrying in the state.
As Her prepares to take on her new roles at City Hall, Ginsberg believes her legislative record and methodical approach will serve the city and its residents well. “I just think it’s going to be a little bit of a different approach,” he said, hinting at the potential changes Her may bring to St. Paul governance.
With her extensive background and commitment to effective leadership, Mayor-elect Kaohly Her is set to lead St. Paul into a new chapter, focusing on the essential services that impact the daily lives of its residents.
