Progressive Wing Posts Wins as Wisconsin Hangs in Balance

The progressive wing of the Democratic Party picked up a pair of important primary wins Tuesday night in Minnesota, even as the most closely watched contest of the evening in Wisconsin stayed unsettled. The results gave left-leaning Democrats a clear boost heading into the next phase of the 2026 race for control of key battleground states.

In Minnesota, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan won the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate seat being left open by retiring Sen. Tina Smith. Flanagan defeated Rep. Angie Craig in a contest that highlighted the party’s split between its progressive and establishment lanes. Flanagan had backing from prominent figures on the left, while Craig was supported by leading establishment Democrats. In the same state, Rep. Ilhan Omar won the Democratic primary in Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District, adding another primary victory to her record after surviving previous well-funded efforts to oust her.

Flanagan’s victory is one of the clearest signs so far that the progressive bloc can still compete in major intraparty fights, especially when the seat is open and the field is shaped by competing visions for the party’s future. Omar’s win carried its own weight as well, since she remains one of the most recognizable members of the House’s progressive wing and continues to draw fierce attention in every campaign cycle. Together, the Minnesota results showed that the left is not fading quietly, even as establishment Democrats continue to hold influence in many contests.