Progressive Peggy Flanagan sweeps Minnesota Senate primary in race defined by anti-ICE anger

State’s Democratic lieutenant governor bests Angie Craig in another election contest pitting a progressive against a moderate

Peggy Flanagan, Minnesota’s lieutenant governor, won the Democratic primary for US Senate in the state, in another election contest that pitted a progressive against a moderate, this time with immigration issues at the center.

The US Senate race in Minnesota, in which Flanagan ousted congresswoman Angie Craig, was yet another example of progressive campaigns toppling moderates as an anti-establishment wave continues across Democratic primaries. But the state’s race was also a response to the long shadow of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown in January.

Uchemedia August 12, 2026 1 minute read

Progressive Peggy Flanagan sweeps Minnesota Senate primary in race defined by anti-ICE anger

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Peggy Flanagan, Minnesota’s lieutenant governor, secured victory in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate, defeating congresswoman Angie Craig in a contest that centered on immigration enforcement. The race represented another instance of progressive candidates gaining ground over moderate opponents within Democratic primary contests across the country.

Immigration policy dominated the campaign following a Trump administration enforcement operation earlier in 2026 that resulted in deaths and hundreds of deportations across Minnesota. Craig faced persistent criticism over her previous support for the Laken Riley Act, which mandates detention for undocumented immigrants accused of local crimes, though she later expressed regret for that vote. In contrast, Flanagan emphasized stronger resistance to immigration enforcement measures.

Flanagan, a member of the White Earth Nation and former state representative, will advance to face Republican Michele Tafoya, a former NFL reporter, in the general election. A Flanagan victory would make her the first Native American woman elected to the Senate. The Minnesota gubernatorial race saw Republican Mike Lindell, an election denier and pillow company executive, lose his primary bid to House Speaker Lisa Demuth, who will compete against Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar in November.

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Originally reported by Theguardian →