Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan defeated Rep. Angie Craig (D-Minn.) Tuesday within the Minnesota Democratic Senate main – the most recent check of whether or not the voters is shifting additional to the left or towards the middle forward of the important midterm elections.
Flanagan had 58.8% of the Democratic main vote in comparison with Craig’s 39.7% when the Related Press known as the race at 11:27 pm. ET.
Flanagan, who has served as embattled Gov. Tim Walz’s No. 2 since 2019, campaigned on most of the identical progressive priorities that propelled Abdul El-Sayed to victory in his Senate main in Michigan, together with “Medicare for all,” ending US help to Israel over the “genocide” in Gaza and getting “Huge Cash out of our politics.”
She has additionally vowed to “rip ICE aside” in response to President Trump’s immigration crackdown in Minnesota, which resulted within the deadly shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal legislation enforcement officers, sparking outrage within the state.
The lieutenant governor, who famously donned a hijab final 12 months to precise solidarity with Somalis amid federal and congressional investigations into widespread fraud by the refugee neighborhood, counted endorsements from socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Sen. Elizabeth Warren, “Squad” Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and outgoing Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minn.).
In the meantime, Craig (D-Minn.) was seen because the extra pragmatic and centrist candidate within the race to switch Smith.
The three-term congresswoman’s district – Minnesota’s 2nd – went for President Trump within the 2016 election earlier than swinging again in favor of Joe Biden in 2020 and Kamala Harris in 2024.
Craig was endorsed by quite a few institution Dems, together with Home Minority Chief Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), former Home Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) and former Transportation Secretary and potential 2028 Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg.
She was additionally backed by Walz’s spouse, Gwen.
The governor didn’t endorse a candidate within the race.
In distinction to Flanagan, Craig has rejected calling the Israel navy’s efforts to root out Hamas terrorists in Gaza a “genocide.” She additionally voted towards a measure looking for to chop greater than $3 billion in US help to Israel.
On healthcare, Craig has proposed “Medicare for All who need it,” rejecting a whole federal takeover of the medical health insurance system.
The congresswoman was attacked by Flanagan on the marketing campaign path over her vote in favor of the Laken Riley Act, a Trump-backed invoice cracking down on migrant criminals, which Craig has indicated she regrets voting for.
In the meantime, Craig blamed Flanagan for a scarcity of oversight and accountability of state welfare packages that had been pilfered by fraudsters.
Flanagan will face former sportscaster Michele Tafoya within the November normal election.
A Republican hasn’t received a Senate election in Minnesota since 2002.
