Flanagan’s victory adds to the bellwether victory by progressive Abdul El-Sayed in the Democratic U.S. Senate primary in Michigan last week.
ROCHESTER, Minn.—Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan will face Republican Michele Tafoya in the battle for the Minnesota seat in the U.S. Senate, after defeating U.S. Rep. Angie Craig (D-Minn.) in the Democratic primary on Aug. 11.
The Associated Press called the race at 10:27 p.m. Flanagan won with 58.9 percent of the vote to Craig’s 39.5 percent, with 95 percent of the vote counted.
Flanagan appealed to the party’s progressive wing, while four-term congresswoman Craig positioned herself as the more moderate candidate in the race.
Flanagan’s victory adds to the bellwethervictory by progressive Abdul El-Sayed in the Democratic U.S. Senate primary in Michigan last week, where he defeated U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens in a similar ideological matchup.
Flanagan received the endorsement of Minnesota’s Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party as well as progressives, such as Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).
Craig was endorsed by former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), and former Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.), who ran for president in 2024.
Immigration policy became one of the major dividing lines in the primary.
Flanagan campaigned on dismantling U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and ending President Donald Trump’s mass deportation policy targeting illegal immigrants.
Flanagan had repeatedly criticized Craig for supporting the Laken Riley Act, which expanded federal detention requirements for illegal immigrants accused of crimes.
Craig campaigned on ending corruption in Washington. She expressed support for end gerrymandering and impose term limits on Congress.
The United States’ support of Israel was another issue that separated the candidates. Craig voted to continue including Israel in the National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, which outlines Foreign Military Financing grants, when Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ken.) proposed an amendment to stop Israel accessing the funds. Craig did criticize Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as having “reckless policies.” But she said the longstanding relationship with Israel was critical for maintaining peace in the Middle East.
Flanagan has voted to halt the sale of offensive weapons to Israel.
By Tom Gantert
