Leader Stephenson succeeds Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman as Leader of the House DFL. Their relationship began in 2002 when he first volunteered for her campaign. Stephenson was her Campaign Manager in 2004 for her first campaign win.

While Stephenson is honored to have the support of his colleagues, he’ll never forget why he is in this role now. Speaker Hortman is irreplaceable — as a leader, a strategist, a colleague, and a friend. She was the most consequential Speaker in Minnesota history. 

He believes that while he may be the Leader, it will take all of us, working together, to move our state forward, honor Speaker Hortman’s legacy, and build a Minnesota where everyone can succeed. 

​Stephenson was first elected to the Minnesota House in 2018. He has served as Commerce Committee Chair, working to lower costs for Minnesotans and protect them from scams, fraud, and price gouging. In 2025, he was the DFL Co-Chair of the Ways and Means Committee and ensured there were no political shenanigans on the way to a balanced budget for Minnesota.