MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The factional fight gripping the Democratic Party moved to Minnesota on Tuesday as voters were settling another moderate-versus-progressive U.S. Senate primary.
The race between centrist U.S. Rep. Angie Craig and progressive Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan was playing out in the aftermath of President Donald Trump's aggressive immigration surge, which led to the shooting death of two protesters by federal officers in Minneapolis and galvanized the president's liberal opposition.
Polls closed at 8 p.m. CDT in a race that was taking the temperature of Democratic primary voters a week after progressive Abdul El-Sayed won a bitter and divisive primary in Michigan that fired up the left and fueled anxiety among party leaders that Democrats will alienate moderate swing voters.
Whoever wins the primary for the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, as it's known in Minnesota, will be the front-runner in November. Minnesota voters haven't elected a Republican to a statewide office since 2006.
Still, Republicans are hoping a fraud scandal involving the widespread theft of public funds will give them an opening up and down the ballot.
Among the leading GOP candidates for governor is Mike Lindell — the Trump- endorsed pillow purveyor, who has been among the most persistent advocates of the lie that Trump's 2020 loss to Joe Biden was fraudulent. Sen. Amy Klobuchar is seeking the Democratic nomination for governor in a primary against six other candidates.
Race between Craig and Flanagan shaped by ICE, outside spending
In the race to replace retiring Democratic Sen. Tina Smith, Craig lined up support from Democratic establishment figures including House Speaker Hakeem Jeffries and former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, as well as senators from battleground states.
She pointed to her record of winning tough races in a closely divided House district in the suburban Twin Cities, saying she has the experience to bring the change voters are demanding to Washington.
“She has the work ethic, she has the fight, she has the experience,” said Angie Oi, a Craig supporter and volunteer.
Flanagan had the support of leading progressive figures including Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren. She was also backed by Smith, the retiring incumbent.
The race was shaped by the killing of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal immigration officers in Minneapolis, confrontations that were caught on camera and fueled a backlash to Trump's immigration policies. Flanagan highlighted Craig's vote for the Laken Riley Act, an immigration bill that passed early in Trump's second term. Craig repudiated her support after Good and Pretti were killed.
U.S. support for Israel and the influence of corporations and wealthy donors also figured prominently in a race that attracted tens of millions of dollars in spending by allies of both women.
“I love that she doesn’t take any corporate money, she doesn’t take any money from AIPAC,” said Andrea Ropella, a Flanagan supporter, referring to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. “The things that she says, she believes in and she stands for.”
Gov. Tim Walz declined to endorse either candidate, but late last month his wife, Gwen Walz, endorsed Craig over Flanagan, a move seen as a repudiation of her husband's running mate and governing partner for two terms.
Trump did not endorse a candidate on the Republican side, although former NFL sideline reporter Michele Tafoya had support from the national GOP. Adam Schwarze, a Marine veteran and Navy SEAL, had the official backing of the state Republican committee and Royce White had an existing profile as a prior candidate, conservative commentator and a brief professional basketball career.
‘MyPillow Guy’ Mike Lindell is running for governor
Republicans had another crowded primary in the race for governor.
Lindell established his national profile from his TV advertising campaign as the “MyPillow Guy.” He has been one of Trump’s most outspoken supporters and a persistent proponent of myths about the 2020 election. He lost a defamation lawsuit last year and was ordered to pay $2.3 million to a former employee of a voting systems company, whom he called a traitor.
In a post on social media Tuesday morning, Trump said Lindell “deserves a BIG WIN.”
Trump's endorsement carries enormous weight in GOP primaries, and few of his favored candidates have lost so far this year. But some prominent Minnesota Republicans worry Lindell is too toxic with independent voters and will drag down the entire GOP ticket. Even state GOP Chairman Alex Plechash raised doubts about Lindell's electability.
Jim Busche, 79, said he likes Lindell but agrees that he’s probably too controversial to win a general election, so he cast his vote for state House Speaker Lisa Demuth.
“I wanted to vote for somebody that at least has a chance,” said Busche, who is retired and lives in Independence.
Lindell’s primary opponents included Demuth, who had strong backing from GOP elected officials, and businessman Kendall Qualls, who won the Minnesota GOP's endorsement.
Klobuchar was the leading Democratic candidate for governor.
GOP sees hope despite Minnesota's long blue streak
No Republican has won a statewide race in Minnesota since Gov. Tim Pawlenty was reelected in 2006, but the state is more closely divided than that history would suggest.
In 2016, Democrat Hillary Clinton beat Trump here by only 1.5 points, and in 2024, even with Walz on the ticket, Democrat Kamala Harris won the state by only 4 points.
In the state Legislature, Democrats hold just a one-seat majority in the Senate, and the House is split evenly between the parties.
Republicans think the fraud scandal, which led Walz to abandon his plans to run for a third term, gives them a rare opening to make inroads in an otherwise tough environment for the GOP.
At least 65 people have been convicted in a series of overlapping food fraud cases stemming from investigations that began during the Biden administration. One former nonprofit leader was sentenced in May to 42 years in prison in a $250 million fraud case.
Trump pointed to the scandals as justification for launching a massive immigration crackdown that he initially said would focus on the state’s large Somali community.
