DFL Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan won the U.S. Senate election in Minnesota on Tuesday, besting Republican Michele Tafoya in one of the North Star State’s top political races this year.
As of Tuesday night, multiple news outlets, including the Associated Press, have called the U.S. Senate race in Minnesota for Flanagan. While Flanagan’s final margin of victory is not yet known, she was roughly 11 points ahead of Tafoya when the race was called.
The contest between Flanagan and Tafoya was one of the most closely-watched Senate races in the country this year, largely due to Flanagan’s far-left politics and the national headlines related to Minnesota’s widespread welfare fraud scandal.
For months, Tafoya, the former sideline reporter for NBC’s Sunday Night Football, tried to tie Flanagan to the fraud that has occurred under the Walz administration. Flanagan has served as Walz’s lieutenant governor for the past eight years.
However, Flanagan deflected blame for the fraud on Gov. Tim Walz, whose unpopularity was evident this year due to his absence from the campaign trail.
Flanagan, a former state lawmaker and school board member, announced her bid for Senate in February of 2025. She campaigned as a far-left progressive and participated in events alongside Sen. Bernie Sanders, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, and other progressive figures.
Among her policy positions, Flanagan backs Medicare for All, universal child care, a national paid family and medical leave law, and “ripping ICE apart and holding them accountable.”
Meanwhile, Tafoya launched her candidacy in January of this year and was seen as a major boon for Republican chances of flipping a U.S. Senate seat in Minnesota. The last Republican to win a U.S. Senate seat in Minnesota was Norm Coleman in 2002.
During the campaign, Tafoya actually raised more money than her DFL opponent, bringing in over $12.45 million for her campaign compared to Flanagan’s $11.56 million.
Throughout the campaign, Tafoya kept her focus squarely on fraud and repeatedly blamed Flanagan for failing to stop the fraud. Tafoya often referenced the Minnesota U.S. Attorney’s estimation that fraud in state welfare programs could amount to $9 billion since 2018.
However, Tafoya also distanced herself from the traditional Republican platform, cutting an ad in which she described herself as pro-choice on abortion. Tafoya also said she would support President Donald Trump when he is right and oppose him when he is wrong.
Conversely, Flanagan also campaigned against fraud, but spent more time attempting to tie Tafoya to Trump, the Iran War, and increased gas prices. In her last ad before the election, Flanagan said Tafoya would “do [Trump’s] bidding” if elected to the Senate.
Flanagan and Tafoya were running for the Senate seat being vacated by DFL U.S. Sen. Tina Smith. Ultimately, Minnesota voters, which have long favored the Democratic Party, chose Flanagan to be their senator in Washington, D.C. As such, the seat will stay in DFL hands.
With her victory, Flanagan is the first American Indian women elected to the Senate.
Prior to the 2026 election, Republicans held a 53-47 majority in the Senate. While the current Senate majority is not yet known, Flanagan will be joining the Senate Democratic Caucus’s growing far-left flank alongside Sanders, Warren, and others.
Flanagan will take office on Jan. 3, 2027 in Washington, D.C. to begin serving her six-year Senate term.
Luke Sprinkel
Luke Sprinkel previously worked as a Legislative Assistant at the Minnesota House of Representatives. He grew up as a Missionary Kid (MK) living in England, Thailand, Tanzania, and the Middle East. Luke graduated from Regent University in 2018.
