Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan won the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate on Tuesday, defeating centrist U.S. Rep. Angie Craig in a race defined by intense anti-establishment energy, outside spending, and sharp clashes over federal immigration enforcement policies.
The race to replace retiring Democratic U.S. Sen. Tina Smith underscored a distinct shift toward progressive candidates within the party, mirroring similar insurgent victories across the Midwest. Flanagan’s primary victory sets up a November general election matchup against Republican nominee Michele Tafoya, a former National Football League sideline reporter.
An Anti-Establishment Wave and Progressive Momentum
Flanagan celebrated her primary win in Minneapolis by framing the contest as a referendum on wealth in politics. The campaign drew tens of millions of dollars in spending from outside allies on both sides, with the lieutenant governor running on a platform opposing corporate influence.
Flanagan added, Well guess what? The many just won.
Her campaign drew high-profile endorsements from prominent national progressives, including U.S. Sens. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, alongside the outgoing senator, Smith.
Warren framed the outcome as a direct rejection of outside spending. Peggy Flanagan’s win is further proof that the many can beat the money,
Warren stated, pointing to Flanagan’s background and advocacy for affordable living.
Immigration Enforcement and the Shadow of Operation Metro Surge
Immigration policy emerged as the central flashpoint in the primary following the Trump administration’s deployment of thousands of immigration officers to Minnesota earlier in the year under Operation Metro Surge. That enforcement wave resulted in hundreds of deportations and the deaths of two local residents, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, who were shot and killed by federal immigration officers in Minneapolis.
The resulting public backlash heavily influenced the contest. Flanagan’s campaign homed in on Craig’s previous support for the Laken Riley Act, a federal law requiring detention for undocumented immigrants accused of local crimes. Although Craig publicly expressed regret for her vote on the measure in March, the issue remained a liability throughout her Senate run.
Craig mounted a formidable challenge backed by the Democratic establishment, securing endorsements from House Speaker Hakeem Jeffries, former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and battleground-state senators. Craig argued that her experience winning a competitive suburban Twin Cities district proved her electability. On the campaign trail, she also pressed Flanagan on state government fraud scandals involving public assistance programs, arguing the lieutenant governor bore accountability.
The Republican Field and General Election Stakes
With the primary decided, Flanagan advances to face Michele Tafoya in November. Minnesota has not elected a statewide Republican official since 2006, but state GOP figures are banking on discontent over state fraud scandals to alter the political landscape. Tafoya criticized career politicians after casting her ballot, telling reporters that current leadership had brought the state to a place of national embarrassment.
Simultaneously, the state’s gubernatorial primary delivered a distinct rebuke to former President Donald Trump’s endorsement influence. Mike Lindell, the MyPillow founder and prominent election denier, lost the Republican gubernatorial primary to Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth. Lindell’s campaign faced severe liabilities, including ongoing defamation lawsuits and legal challenges over unpaid corporate bills.
Demuth will face Democratic U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who secured her own primary victory by defeating six other candidates in the Democratic nomination contest.
A Historic Path Forward
If successful in the general election, Flanagan will make history as the first Native American woman to serve in the United States Senate. A citizen of the White Earth Nation, Flanagan began her career as a community organizer before serving in the state House of Representatives and later as lieutenant governor alongside Governor Tim Walz.
Her platform centers on expanding social safety net programs—drawing on her own childhood experiences utilizing government food assistance, Medicaid, and childcare—while pursuing structural overhauls to federal immigration enforcement and healthcare.
