Peggy Flanagan Wins Minnesota Senate Seat, Maintaining Democratic Hold

Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan secured the open Minnesota Senate seat, defeating Republican challenger Michele Tafoya, according to NBC News projections. The victory keeps the seat in Democratic hands and marks Flanagan as the first Native American woman elected to the U.S. Senate.

Flanagan, who won a progressive-leaning primary over a more moderate opponent, supports policies such as Medicare for All, national paid family and medical leave, and the dismantling of ICE. The race was viewed by Republicans as a potential pickup opportunity amid recent fraud scandals involving state social-service programs.

In a recent interview with the Minnesota Star Tribune, Flanagan described any fraud as “completely unacceptable” and said “more should have been done sooner.” She placed responsibility for the state’s response on Gov. Tim Walz, noting that he “is the one who took the lead on fraud.”

Tafoya, a former sports broadcaster and first-time candidate, positioned herself as an outsider and advocated for deporting immigrants convicted of fraud and for mandatory minimum sentences for fraud offenses.

The seat became open after Sen. Tina Smith announced she would not seek re-election. Minnesota has leaned Democratic in recent cycles, with President Donald Trump winning the state by a narrow margin in 2024, while Sen. Amy Klobuchar was re-elected by a larger margin.