Peggy Flanagan Wins Minnesota U.S. Senate Seat, Defeating Michele Tafoya

Democratic Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan won Minnesota’s U.S. Senate race on Tuesday, defeating Republican nominee Michele Tafoya.

Flanagan led with 54% of the votes compared to Tafoya’s 43% when about three‑quarters of the ballots were counted, and the margin widened as reporting reached over 95%.

NBC called the race for Flanagan shortly after midnight, and Tafoya conceded on election night.

The seat was open following the retirement of Sen. Tina Smith. Flanagan’s victory preserves the Democratic hold on the seat, marking the first time a Native American woman will serve in the U.S. Senate.

The contest attracted national attention amid scrutiny of Minnesota’s public‑benefits fraud scandal, which had been a focal point of the campaign and influenced Gov. Tim Walz’s decision to abandon his bid for a third term.

Republicans had hoped to flip the traditionally Democratic seat, but the result maintains the party’s control in a state that has not elected a Republican to the Senate since 2002.

Tafoya, a former NFL sideline reporter for NBC, Monday Night Football and ESPN, entered the race after a decade in sports broadcasting.