(ABC 6 News) — Candidates who challenged local Representatives in the recent election shared their thoughts on DFL representatives staying away from the start of the legislative session.

Ken Navitsky, who challenged Representative Kim Hicks said even though he did not win, he still wants his voice heard through his representative.

But with the DFL not showing up to session, he said it leaves him and many others voiceless.

“Right now I do not have a voice and neither do 40 thousand other people that live in district 25A,” Navitsky said.

Across the Aisle, DFL challengers who did not win their races are standing by their party’s decision not to attend, claiming Republicans are the ones not playing by the rules.

“Lately its been a lot of claims of lawfare on one side and ignoring norms and precedent and just moving forward and nothing occurs,” Joe Staloch, who challenged Republican Representative Peggy Bennett for the seat representing District 23 A, said.

And without a power sharing agreement, they said voters are not being heard because they voted in an equal number of GOP and DFL representatives to the house.

“Voters in the state they elected 67 democrats and 67 republicans and a power sharing sharing agreement should have been worked out. It’s important that gets worked out to represent all of the voters,” Joe Pacovsky, who ran for the seat representing District 23B, said.

Those in the GOP said they lead by one seat, but that could change after a special election in District 40B.

Local Republican representatives said the DFL needs to show up and do the jobs they are elected to do.

“Take a deep breath, suck it up and participate. You don’t always get your way in the legislature,” Rep. Duane Quam (R) said.

On Tuesday, the start of the legislative session, Local DFL Representatives spoke on why they were staying away from the Capitol, after DFL House members say their republican colleagues are attempting an illegitimate power grab as a result of a house DFL-er being disqualified from holding his seat.

“We do not want to move forward in a Minnesota, where any caucus can simply refuse to seat a member, based on their own desire. That is not a Minnesota that we think should exist, and that is why we denied quorum,” said Rep. Andy Smith, DFL of Rochester.

Rep. Tina Liebling, DFL member, said there are important project that need to be worked on, like the work to bring the materials recovery facility to Olmsted County, sending a message to Republicans to get on board.

“We have a lot important things to do like this project here. We’d really like to get the bonding dollars for this project and get it moving forward. So that’s my message to Republicans. Stop playing games, share power, and let’s get to work,” Liebling said.

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