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US Politics

Democrat Peggy Flanagan wins Minnesota's open Senate seat over Republican Michele Tafoya

Flanagan, the state's lieutenant governor, becomes the first Native American woman elected to the U.S. Senate and replaces retiring Democratic Sen. Tina Smith.

12 news outlets reported this · Little coverage from liberal outlets
Liberal3 outletsa progressive win and a rebuke of TrumpCenter2 outletswhy Tafoya lost and a historic Native milestoneConservative7 outletsfraud scandals, Flanagan's positions and a closer race
Published 4 min read
Overview

Democrat Peggy Flanagan, Minnesota's lieutenant governor, won the state's open U.S. seat in Tuesday's election. She defeated Republican Michele Tafoya, a former sports broadcaster. CBS News, NBC News, the Associated Press and Decision Desk HQ each called the race for her.

Newsweek reports the vote at 53.7 percent for Flanagan and 43.6 percent for Tafoya. Flanagan replaces Democratic Sen. Tina Smith, who chose not to seek reelection. Flanagan is the first Native American woman voters have sent to the Senate.

She ran on progressive policies and had beaten a more moderate opponent in the primary. Tafoya campaigned on fraud in state programs and sought to tie Flanagan to Gov. Tim Walz. President Trump endorsed Tafoya in mid-October.

The race took place after federal agents fatally shot two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis in January, during the Trump administration's immigration crackdown in Minnesota. CBS News projected that Democrats retake control of the Senate. Hamline University professor David Schultz told Newsweek that Trump's late endorsement and the Oct. 12 raid on Rep. Ilhan Omar's Washington home contributed to Tafoya's loss.

Flanagan told supporters, "Minnesota! You just beat Donald Trump again!"

Key figures
  • 53.7 percent Flanagan's share of the vote, per Newsweek — Newsweek
  • 43.6 percent Tafoya's share of the vote, per Newsweek — Newsweek

Three sides of the story

Liberal3 outlets

a progressive win and a rebuke of Trump

CBS News leads with its projection that Flanagan defeated Tafoya, then sets the race against the Trump administration's immigration crackdown, the Iran war and , noting higher prices for "gas and diesel." It says the result closes off one of the few Republican pickup chances. The New Republic headlines the first Native woman in the Senate and gives a 54–43 percent count with 72 percent of votes in.

It calls "the right-wing fervor over fraud allegations" in Minnesota "a fabrication designed to punish Democrats and antagonize immigrants." It adds that the state has earlier looked into and prosecuted cases of improper childcare payments, plus other social services fraud. It describes Operation Metro Surge as having claimed the lives of two U.S. citizens.

HuffPost calls Flanagan a progressive and says public polls often had her ahead by 3 or 4 percentage points. It describes months of "violence and terror" under the crackdown and closes on her words to supporters: "Minnesota! You just beat Donald Trump again!" and "The grift stops now!"

Center2 outlets

why Tafoya lost and a historic Native milestone

Newsweek headlines expert analysis of Tafoya's loss. It quotes Hamline University's David Schultz naming two reasons: Trump's late endorsement, which he said "went wrong" for her, and the Oct. 12 Investigations raid on Rep. Ilhan Omar's home. University of Minnesota professor Larry Jacobs tells it, "No other issues broke through."

It gives the count as 53.7 to 43.6 percent, quotes Flanagan's "Chi miigwech" thank-you, and describes the lame-duck session ahead. The Seattle Times frames the night as a milestone under the headline "Two Native American women break political barriers." It calls Flanagan "the first Native American woman to win election to the Senate" and says Deb Haaland will be the nation's first woman Native American governor.

It adds that the Alaska race involving Democrat Mary Peltola is close, and voting means the outcome may take days or even weeks. It notes Flanagan's work with the state's 11 tribal nations.

Conservative7 outlets

fraud scandals, Flanagan's positions and a closer race

Breitbart News reports that NBC News called the race a few hours after polls closed, with a 54.5 to 42.7 percent tally and nearly 90 percent of votes counted. It recalls Trump's Truth Social post that "The only way she can lose is if they cheat." The Washington Free Beacon headlines "Walz's Wingwoman" and writes that Flanagan faced questions over fraud scandals during her time in the Walz administration.

It says the race was "uncomfortably close" for Democrats and ties that mainly to the Feeding Our Future case, in which Somali-American nonprofit groups stole at least $250 million. The Washington Examiner says the AP called the race just after midnight and, by its account, Flanagan never led a poll by more than 5 points. It quotes Tafoya on Trump's endorsement: "I will stand up to my party when I believe in something."

RedState calls Flanagan a "hard-left radical" and lists her positions on transgender issues. It cites a final RealClearPolling average with her ahead by 5.2 points, a New York Times/Siena survey giving her 14 points and an AtlasIntel poll showing a two-point race.

What a side did not mention
Where outlets disagree
All sources: 12 articles from 12 outlets

Liberal (3)

Center (2)

Conservative (7)

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