Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan scratched out her signature on the proper forms, plunked down an endorsed check for $400 to cover filing fees, and officially became a candidate for the U.S. Senate on Monday.
“It’s all happening,” said the Democrat, standing up from the table at the Secretary of State’s office not far from the capitol building.
Flanagan was joined by a number of supporters Monday morning, the group chanting her name as she acknowledged gaining the DFL’s endorsement for the seat being vacated by fellow Democrat Tina Smith.
“Having the full support of the DFL in this campaign is pretty powerful,” she said. “I’m honored and humbled, the full power of the DFL is going to be why we win.”
The next step is the DFL primary on Aug. 11, which Congresswoman Angie Craig has already filed for. Craig decided not to participate in this past weekend's DFL State Convention, instead opting to take Flanagan on in the primary.
The two have already been critical of each other, and it could get ugly even inside the DFL race.
“That’s certainly possible,” Flanagan said. “But, I’m just going to tell the truth. We don’t have to attack our opponent.”
She followed-up moments later by telling the group that Craig was “out of step and out of touch” with Minnesotans.
“It just doesn’t reflect the full scope of the party that we are, and the purple state that we have become,” Craig said last month when announcing plans to run in the primary.
There are also going to be two candidates on the GOP side of the ticket. Former Navy Seal Adam Schwarze won the GOP party nomination at their convention in Duluth last weekend, defeating former NBC sports reporter and WCCO Radio host Michele Tafoya. But, Tafoya is already on record as saying she will take her campaign for the Senate to the primary regardless of the party endorsement.
