Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan has clinched the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate from Minnesota, defeating Rep. Angie Craig in a primary race that highlighted deep divisions within the Democratic Party. The Associated Press called the race on Tuesday, marking a significant victory for the progressive wing of the party as it determines its direction heading into the midterm elections.
Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building immigration enforcement surge
The campaign, described as at-times bitter, centered heavily on the response to the Trump administration’s federal immigration enforcement surge in Minnesota. Tensions were high following a monthslong deportation campaign staged at the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building near the Minneapolis airport. Protesters gathered in the streets surrounding the complex, and officials confirmed that two people were shot and killed during these confrontations before the administration pulled back. These events served as the backdrop for the primary contest.
Peggy Flanagan platform and policy promises
Flanagan, 46, leveraged her background and progressive platform to distinguish herself from Craig. Acknowledging her childhood experience relying on government food assistance, Medicaid, and childcare services to transition into the middle class, Flanagan vowed to defend these programs. Her platform further promised “radicalchange, including
ripping apart” federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and expanding Medicare to cover everyone.
Angie Craig legislative record and the Laken Riley Act
Flanagan’s strategy included attacking Craig’s legislative record. Specifically, she targeted Craig’s support for the Laken Riley Act. While Craig voted for tighter immigration enforcement shortly after President Donald Trump returned to office, she later expressed regret for that decision following the surge of federal agents into Minneapolis. Flanagan also criticized Craig for expressing thanks to law enforcement, including ICE officers, and for backing a resolution condemning antisemitism following a 2025 firebombing in Boulder, Colorado. Bryce Bohne, a 40-year-old Minneapolis resident, stated that this was the moment she had permanently lost his vote, which is why he would not support her under any circumstances.
Despite Flanagan’s victory, Craig held a significant fundraising advantage and benefited from extensive external ad spending. Craig had secured endorsements from notable Democrats, including former transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg and Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wisc. Conversely, Flanagan was bolstered by progressive heavyweights, including Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., and Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minn., whose decision to retire opened the seat. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., had backed Craig.
Bernadette Breslin, a spokesperson for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, commented on the shift, stating that morale within Chuck Schumer’s establishment had hit an all-time low, while Bernie Sanders’ socialist wing was filling the void with candidates such as Peggy Flanagan and Abdul El-Sayed.
The race occurred against the backdrop of an open seat, as Sen. Tina Smith declined to run for re-election. Simultaneously, the state’s gubernatorial race saw Republican Mike Lindell lose to Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth. Demuth will face Democratic U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar in November.
Flanagan will now face Republican nominee Michele Tafoya, a former National Football League sideline reporter, in the November general election. If elected, Flanagan would become the first Native American woman to serve in the U.S. Senate. Minnesota, which has not elected a Republican statewide since 2006, remains a state that leans Democratic, though the upcoming general election represents a high-stakes test for the party’s internal coalition.