Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan won the Democratic nomination for Minnesota’s open U.S. Senate seat on Tuesday, defeating Rep. Angie Craig in a closely watched primary. The Associated Press called the race at 11:27 p.m. EDT with 80% of expected votes counted, showing Flanagan leading 59% to Craig’s 40%.
The victory marks another win for the Democratic Party’s progressive wing, following progressive candidates’ wins in recent primaries, including Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan. Flanagan’s win also underscores ongoing debates within the Democratic Party about electability and ideological direction ahead of the general election.
Flanagan’s path to victory
Flanagan, Minnesota’s lieutenant governor since 2019, framed her campaign around progressive policies, including expanding Medicare for All and restructuring Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). She received endorsements from Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), as well as Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN), who is retiring from the Senate. Flanagan’s campaign emphasized her personal background, citing her use of government assistance programs during childhood to achieve middle-class stability.
Craig’s moderate appeal and challenges
Craig, a four-term U.S. representative representing a competitive House district in the Twin Cities metro area, positioned herself as a pragmatic Democrat focused on electability. She highlighted her 2018 victory, which flipped a Republican-held seat, as evidence of her ability to win in a battleground area. Craig was backed by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) and other Democratic leaders, including former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI).
Craig’s campaign faced criticism over her vote for the Laken Riley Act, a 2025 immigration detention measure signed by President Donald Trump. Craig later said she regretted the vote but defended it as necessary for representing a competitive district. Flanagan repeatedly attacked Craig over the vote, arguing it aligned her with Trump’s immigration agenda.
Immigration emerges as a key dividing line
Immigration policy became a central issue in the race following the deaths of two U.S. citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, in Minneapolis during a federal immigration enforcement operation. Flanagan called for dismantling and rebuilding ICE, while Craig proposed reforms to the agency. Both candidates supported changes to immigration enforcement, though their approaches differed significantly.
Flanagan’s campaign spending was substantially lower than Craig’s. According to AdImpact, Flanagan and her allies spent $4.7 million, while Craig and her allies combined to spend nearly $20 million.
Republican primary results
On the Republican side, former sports broadcaster Michele Tafoya won the GOP nomination for the Senate seat. Tafoya will face Flanagan in the November general election.
Broader implications for the Democratic Party
The primary results reflect ongoing tensions within the Democratic Party between progressive and establishment factions. Progressive candidates have recently won high-profile primaries, including in Michigan and Minnesota, challenging the party’s traditional leadership and signaling a potential shift in its ideological direction. Establishment Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), have argued that the party needs candidates with broader appeal to win in battleground states.
The outcome in Minnesota also highlights the growing influence of progressive leaders like Sanders and Warren, who have endorsed Flanagan. If elected in November, Flanagan would become the first Native American woman in the U.S. Senate.