Flanagan wins Minnesota Senate seat left open by Smith

Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan (D) is projected to win the state’s Senate race, defeating Republican challenger Michele Tafoya, according to Decision Desk HQ.

Flanagan, who has served as the state’s lieutenant governor since 2019, will replace retiring Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minn.). Flanagan is projected to win with nearly 55 percent support, with just under 70 percent of the vote reported by DDHQ.

She faced an uphill battle in this race as her Republican opponent sought to blame her for a widespread fraud scandal that played out during her time working under Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D).

The Democrat responded to these accusations during an October debate, agreeing with Walz’s assessment that “more should have been done sooner” to halt the scheme, in which prosecutors say as much as $9 billion was stolen.

Walz dropped his reelection bid for the state’s top executive office amid scrutiny over his handling of this fraud scandal.

However, the criticism did not prove enough to turn the state’s open Senate seat red, with the Democrat maintaining a narrow lead in polling leading up to Election Day.

Flanagan campaigned in support of issues like “Medicare for All,” universal childcare, raising the minimum wage and expanding healthcare for veterans.

Additionally, the Minnesota Democrat pushed back on President Trump’s tariffs against Canada and called to “dismantle” U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and end the Trump administration’s mass deportation policy.