Peggy Flanagan Tops Angie Craig in Minnesota Senate Primary

Peggy Flanagan won the Minnesota Senate primary, handing progressives another success in the party’s fight over who should lead Democrats in the next Congress. The state’s lieutenant governor narrowly defeated Rep. Angie Craig on Tuesday, adding fresh momentum to the left wing’s push to displace more centrist Democrats in a series of closely watched Senate contests.

Flanagan built her campaign around positions that set her apart from Craig and aligned her with the party’s progressive flank. She backed Medicare for all and called for ending military aid to Israel. She also said she would target Immigration and Customs Enforcement after two deadly immigration enforcement-related shootings in Minnesota, and she highlighted Craig’s support for legislation such as the Laken Riley Act to sharpen the contrast between them.

The race drew clear ideological lines and strong outside interest. Flanagan won support from Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., and Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minn., whose retirement created the opening in the contest. Craig, by contrast, was seen as the more moderate and establishment-backed option, with backing from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., who is running for governor, did not take a side in the race.

Money also shaped the battle. Federal Election Commission filings show Craig raised nearly $13 million this cycle, while Flanagan collected just under $7 million. Even so, Sanders framed Flanagan’s candidacy as a revolt against major donors, saying on CBS’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday that she represents real change and is taking on big-money interests. He added that super PACs and billionaires were pouring money into Minnesota, much as they are in Michigan.