Primaries held across the Upper Midwest on Tuesday delivered significant wins for the Democratic Party’s progressive wing, with one critical race in Wisconsin still too close to call.
In Minnesota, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan secured the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by retiring Sen. Tina Smith. Flanagan, who drew support from prominent progressive figures, defeated Rep. Angie Craig, who had backing from establishment Democrats. Rep. Ilhan Omar, a member of the progressive "Squad," also won her primary election in Minnesota's 5th Congressional District, marking another victory for a prominent progressive voice.
The most closely watched contest of the night was the race for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in Wisconsin. State Rep. Francesca Hong, a democratic socialist, is vying to extend the progressive movement’s winning streak in the battleground state. Democrats are seeking to retain control of the governor’s mansion.
Hong, 37, a former chef and single mother, has gained support from national progressive figures, including Reps. Ilhan Omar and Ro Khanna. Her platform includes proposals to raise Wisconsin's minimum wage to $20 per hour, implement guaranteed paid leave, and institute a one-year moratorium on new AI data centers. Hong has also faced past scrutiny over social media posts advocating for defunding the police, positions she has stated she no longer supports.
As most of Tuesday's key races concluded, Wisconsin's gubernatorial primary stood as the primary test of the progressive left's ability to maintain momentum in a crucial swing state.