Peggy Flanagan, the progressive former deputy to Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, has won a fiercely contested Democratic primary for U.S. Senate, handing the party’s left flank a major victory.
Flanagan’s win sent an unmistakable message to centrist Democrats on Tuesday night, as she captured 58.6 percent of the vote. Her rival, Minnesota Rep. Angie Craig, trailed with 39.5 percent.
The former lieutenant governor drew support from some of the most prominent figures in the progressive movement, including Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, along with Reps. Ilhan Omar and Ro Khanna.
Her victory adds to a growing string of recent wins for left-wing candidates nationwide, following Abdul El-Sayed’s success in Michigan last week.
Walz, Minnesota’s sitting governor, stayed neutral in the race, a decision that came as a politically damaging fraud scandal involving members of the Somali community continued to draw national attention.
His wife, Gwen Walz, however, endorsed Craig, a move widely read as a sign of the governor’s preferred candidate after his relationship with Flanagan deteriorated following his return to Minnesota from his unsuccessful White House run alongside Kamala Harris.
The fallout from the fraud scandal became a central flashpoint in the primary. Craig sharply criticized Flanagan’s record as lieutenant governor, saying it was “p***ing [her] off” that Flanagan had avoided accountability.
Flanagan pushed back forcefully, accusing Craig of echoing “Republican talking points” in an effort to undermine her campaign.
Angie Craig speaks to constituents during a door-knocking event on Saturday, July 25, 2026, in Minneapolis
Peggy Flanagan, a Democratic candidate for the US Senate, speaks during a campaign rally Monday, July 20, 2026, in Minneapolis
Craig claimed ‘Republicans are dying to run against [Flanagan] because they believe that [she has] a unique vulnerability on fraud.’
Flanagan has assailed Israel’s war in Gaza as ‘genocide’ and backs halting US weapons to the Jewish State – a position Republicans are likely to seize on.
At home, she backs Medicare for All, universal child care, national paid leave, a $20 federal minimum wage and higher taxes on corporations and the wealthy.
Flanagan has branded ICE ‘out of control’ and says it should be dismantled and replaced.
Craig, as the more moderate, was the only Minnesota Democrat to vote for the Trump-backed Laken Riley Act, which requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to detain non-citizens who are arrested for or charged with local theft, burglary, larceny, shoplifting, or assault on law enforcement.
Flanagan will take on Republican nominee Michele Tafoya, a former NBC Sunday Night Football sideline reporter, in the Fall.
Republican insiders are bullish on a victory for Tafoya, as she seeks to frame herself as a commonsense candidate. Notably, Tafoya is one of the few pro-choice Republicans in the country, backing abortion access up to the 12th week of pregnancy.
Minnesota’s US Senate seat is rated ‘likely Democratic’ by the Cook Political Report.
Flanagan’s election underscores the rising progressive tide across the country.
Three candidates backed by socialist New York mayor Zohran Mamdani won their primaries in June, among them Brad Lander, who once ran against Mamdani for mayor and who ousted Dan Goldman as the congressman sought a third term.
Adriano Espaillat, the 71-year-old chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, was toppled by Mamdani-backed Darializa Avila Chevalier.
In Colorado, 29-year-old Democratic socialist Melat Kiros unseated Diana DeGette after nearly 30 years in Congress.
