Republicans say they can win state House

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GOP House Minority Leader Kurt Daudt and Deputy Minority Leader Jennifer Loon answer questions as other House candidates look on. MPR Photo/Tom Scheck

Republicans have taken their first step to win back the majority in the Minnesota House.

About 60 GOP candidates for the House met as a group and filed for office  this morning.  Republicans need to pick up seven seats to win back the majority.

House Minority Leader Kurt Daudt, R-Crown,  said DFL control of state government led to the unnecessary creation of a new Senate office building, problems with the Affordable Care Act and tax increases.

“Single party control obviously hasn’t served Minnesota very well," Daudt said. "We’re ready to take that case to the voters. Our priority is to put Minnesotans first and we want to return balance to St. Paul.”

But House Majority Leader Erin Murphy, DFL-St. Paul, said Democrats increased funding for schools, eliminated a budget deficit and spent more money on economic development. She said she likes her party's chances of keeping control of the House.

"The story of this election is going to be a contrast story between a productive Legislature that's doing the work of the people of Minnesota in making real progress versus GOP ideological gridlock that nearly stalled Minnesota's economy out," she said.

Democrats say they’ll announce their slate of candidates on Monday.

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