Democrat Peggy Flanagan has won Minnesota’s US Senate race, defeating Republican Michele Tafoya in a closely watched midterm contest for the seat held by retiring Sen. Tina Smith. Flanagan, Minnesota’s lieutenant governor, will become the first Native American woman elected to the upper chamber.
With about three-fourths of the ballots counted, Flanagan led with 54% of the vote compared to Tafoya’s 43%. The Democratic victory preserves the party’s hold on a seat in a state that has not elected a Republican to the US Senate since 2002, marking a setback for Republicans who had hoped to capitalize on scandals and flip the open seat.
The race drew national attention amid scrutiny of Minnesota’s public-benefits fraud scandal, which had also affected Gov. Tim Walz’s decision to abandon his bid for a third term. Republicans attempted to link Flanagan to the scandal, arguing she should be held accountable for fraud that occurred during her time as the state's second highest-ranking official. Flanagan acknowledged that more should have been done to prevent the abuse of taxpayer funds but stated she was not responsible for overseeing the agencies involved in the investigations.
Flanagan, 46, ran on a progressive platform, supporting Medicare for All, universal child care, and a $17 federal minimum wage. Tafoya, 61, a former NFL sideline reporter and conservative political commentator, promised to hold politicians accountable regardless of party affiliation and received President Trump’s endorsement. Tafoya also sought to position herself as willing to diverge from Republican stances when necessary and expressed a more moderate position on abortion, supporting access through 12 weeks of pregnancy.
During their October debate, Tafoya vowed to be an “equal opportunity pain in the ass” to corrupt politicians, while accusing Flanagan of evading responsibility for the fraud scandal. Flanagan countered by criticizing Tafoya’s ties to Trump and her positions on immigration and abortion. The race was closely watched nationally as Republicans aimed to capitalize on Democratic vulnerabilities in Minnesota and maintain their standing in the Senate. The Minnesota Senate race contributes to the Democrats’ takeover of the Senate.