MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan has won the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate, defeating U.S. Representative Angie Craig in Tuesday’s primary and setting up a November contest for an open seat held by retiring Democratic Senator Tina Smith.
The victory, projected by media outlets including Reuters, gives Flanagan the Democratic nomination after a closely watched contest between the progressive lieutenant governor and Craig, a more centrist member of Congress.
Flanagan, an enrolled member of the White Earth Nation, would become the first Native American woman elected to the U.S. Senate if she wins the Nov. 3 general election. She has served as Minnesota's lieutenant governor since 2019 under Governor Tim Walz and was previously a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives.
The primary campaign highlighted differences within the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party over policy and political strategy. Flanagan was endorsed by Smith and prominent progressive Democrats including U.S. Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, while Craig sought to position herself as a pragmatic Democrat with a record in Congress.
Flanagan secured the state DFL endorsement in May, when party delegates backed her candidacy at the party convention. Craig bypassed the endorsement process and proceeded directly to the August primary.
The contest drew substantial outside spending and national attention as Democrats sought to retain the seat. Earlier polling showed Flanagan with an advantage among Democratic voters, although the race was considered competitive in the weeks before voting.
Flanagan will face Republican nominee Michele Tafoya, a former NBC Sports reporter who won the Republican Senate primary. The matchup will determine who succeeds Smith, who is retiring from the Senate.
Minnesota has traditionally favored Democrats in statewide elections, but Republicans are seeking to make the Senate race competitive in November. The Republican campaign has highlighted issues including government spending and allegations of mismanagement, while Democrats are expected to focus on opposition to President Donald Trump's policies and immigration enforcement.
Flanagan's nomination now moves the race into the general-election phase, with Minnesota voters scheduled to choose between Flanagan and Tafoya in November.
