Peggy Flanagan wins Minnesota Democratic Senate primary as progressives score another victory

Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan defeated centrist US Rep. Angie Craig in Tuesday's Democratic Senate primary, delivering another victory to the party's progressive wing as it seeks to define its message ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

Flanagan, who campaigned on challenging corporate influence and confronting Republican President Donald Trump, emerged as the Democratic nominee to replace retiring Democratic Sen. Tina Smith.

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"For months now, I have been telling you that this campaign was about the many versus the money," Flanagan said as she celebrated her victory in Minneapolis. "Well guess what? The many just won."

The result follows Abdul El-Sayed's victory in a contentious Democratic primary in Michigan last week, adding to signs of renewed energy among the party's progressive voters and concerns among some Democratic leaders that candidates on the left could struggle to appeal to moderate voters in November.

Flanagan will face former NFL sideline reporter Michele Tafoya, who won the Republican Senate primary, in the general election. Minnesota has not elected a Republican to statewide office since 2006, but Republicans see an opportunity in a state increasingly divided along partisan lines.

Tafoya sought to capitalize on a fraud scandal involving the theft of public funds and portrayed Democrats as responsible for what she called a leadership crisis.

"We've had a crisis of leadership here. We've seen what career politicians have done in this state," Tafoya told reporters after casting her ballot in a Minneapolis suburb. "They've brought us to a place of national embarrassment, and this state is ready for change."

Flanagan's victory reflects Democratic primary's leftward turn

Craig entered the Senate race with backing from prominent Democratic establishment figures, including House Speaker Hakeem Jeffries and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, as well as senators from competitive states.

She emphasized her record of winning difficult elections in a closely divided suburban Twin Cities district and argued that her experience would help deliver the change voters were seeking in Washington.

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"Donald Trump is a threat to our democracy, and Michele Tafoya would be nothing more than a rubber stamp to his dangerous agenda," Craig said as she conceded and urged her supporters to back Flanagan.

Flanagan, meanwhile, was backed by progressive figures including Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren. Smith also endorsed her and appeared alongside her during the final weeks of the campaign.

The primary was shaped in part by immigration policy and the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, who were shot and killed by federal immigration officers in Minneapolis. The incidents, which were captured on camera, intensified opposition to Trump's immigration policies and became a central issue in the Senate contest.

Flanagan attacked Craig over her vote for the Laken Riley Act, a Trump-backed immigration measure that passed early in his second term. Craig later repudiated her support for the legislation after Good and Pretti were killed.

The race also featured a fierce battle over corporate influence, wealthy donors and US policy toward Israel. Tens of millions of dollars were spent by allies of both candidates.

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"I love that she doesn't take any corporate money, she doesn't take any money from AIPAC," said Andrea Ropella, a Flanagan supporter, referring to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, which supports pro-Israel candidates. "The things that she says, she believes in and she stands for."

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz did not endorse either candidate. His wife, Gwen Walz, however, endorsed Craig late last month, a move viewed by some as a repudiation of Flanagan, who served as Walz's running mate and governing partner for two terms.

Demuth defeats 'MyPillow Guy' in GOP governor primary

Republicans were also choosing their nominee for governor in a crowded primary.

Lisa Demuth, the speaker of the Minnesota House, won the Republican nomination and will face Democratic U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who defeated six other candidates for her party's nomination.

Among the Republicans Demuth defeated was Mike Lindell, the Trump-endorsed businessman better known as the "MyPillow Guy." Lindell has remained one of Trump's most vocal supporters and has repeatedly promoted false claims that Trump's 2020 election loss to Joe Biden was fraudulent.

Trump had urged voters to support Lindell, writing on social media Tuesday morning that he "deserves a BIG WIN."

But some Minnesota Republicans worried that Lindell's polarizing reputation would hurt the party in the general election. Even state Republican Party Chairman Alex Plechash questioned whether Lindell could win statewide.

Jim Busche, 79, said he supported Lindell but believed the candidate was too controversial to win in November, prompting him to vote for Demuth.

"I wanted to vote for somebody that at least has a chance," said Busche, who is retired and lives in Independence.

Republicans see opening in traditionally Democratic state

Minnesota's statewide political record remains challenging for Republicans. No Republican has won a statewide race there since Gov. Tim Pawlenty was reelected in 2006.

But the state has become more competitive in recent presidential elections. Hillary Clinton defeated Trump by just 1.5 percentage points in 2016, while Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris won Minnesota by 4 points in 2024, despite Walz being on the ticket.

Democrats also hold only a one-seat majority in the state Senate, while the state House is evenly divided.

Republicans are hoping a sprawling fraud scandal involving the theft of public funds will help them make gains in November. The controversy contributed to Walz abandoning plans to seek a third term as governor.

At least 65 people have been convicted in a series of overlapping food fraud cases stemming from investigations that began during the Biden administration. One former nonprofit leader was sentenced in May to 42 years in prison after being convicted in a $250 million fraud case.

Trump has cited the scandals as justification for a major immigration crackdown in Minnesota, which he initially said would focus on the state's large Somali community.

For Democrats, Flanagan's victory offers another indication that progressive voters remain willing to challenge the party establishment. For Republicans, the November contests will test whether Minnesota's increasingly competitive political landscape is enough to break a two-decade-long Democratic hold on statewide office.