Flanagan enters general election as Minnesota’s Senate frontrunner
Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan defeated U.S. Rep. Angie Craig on Tuesday to win the Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate. The result makes Flanagan the Democratic nominee for the general election.
Flanagan campaigned with a pledge to fight the influence of corporations and confront Republican President Donald Trump. The Associated Press characterized her victory over centrist Craig as the latest win for an insurgent progressive over the party’s establishment.
Progressive Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren backed Flanagan and rallied with Flanagan during the campaign’s final weeks. Retiring incumbent Democratic Sen. Tina Smith also backed Flanagan.
Flanagan highlighted Angie Craig’s support from wealthy donors and blasted Craig’s vote for a Trump-backed immigration bill.
After immigration agents shot and killed Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, Craig’s vote for the Trump-backed immigration bill became a liability for Craig in the race.
Flanagan enters the general election as the frontrunner in Minnesota. The state has not elected a Republican to a statewide office in 20 years.
Republicans see an opening in Flanagan’s progressive views and in backlash surrounding the state’s fraud scandal.
That scandal involves widespread theft of public funds dispersed by state agencies to social services organizations.
Republicans said Democrats “turned a blind eye” to the fraud scandal while Flanagan was lieutenant governor.