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Progressive Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan wins Minnesota Democratic Senate primary
NBC News • • general
Key Points:
- Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan won the Democratic primary for Minnesota’s Senate seat, defeating moderate Rep. Angie Craig to succeed retiring Sen. Tina Smith, with endorsements from progressive leaders like Sanders and Warren.
- Flanagan, who would be the first Native American woman in the Senate if elected, campaigned on reducing big money influence in politics and supporting progressive policies such as Medicare for All.
- The primary highlighted sharp divides on immigration, with Flanagan advocating for abolishing ICE and Craig facing criticism for a past vote on immigration detention, which she later regretted.
- On the Republican side, former NFL sideline reporter Michele Tafoya won the primary, positioning herself as a political outsider with support from national Republicans despite questions about her conservative credentials.
- Democrats face the challenge of uniting after a divisive primary to retain the seat in November, while Republicans see potential competitiveness given recent GOP gains in Minnesota, despite the state’s long history of Democratic statewide victories.
