Minnesota voters are choosing party nominees on Tuesday, August 11, in contests that could shape the November midterm elections, led by a closely watched Democratic primary for an open US Senate seat. The Associated Press reported that centrist Representative Angie Craig and progressive Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan are the leading candidates to replace retiring Senator Tina Smith, while Republicans are selecting from a nine-candidate field.
The contest has become a test of the Democratic Party's direction after progressive Abdul El-Sayed won Michigan's competitive Senate primary one week earlier. Flanagan has support from Smith, Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, and Representative Ilhan Omar. Craig's supporters include House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Minnesota first lady Gwen Walz.
Campaign finance and immigration have helped define the race. AP said Craig had roughly twice Flanagan's overall fundraising and held about 3.6 million dollars in late July, compared with about 1.1 million dollars for Flanagan. Political committees supporting moderate Democrats spent at least 2.4 million dollars for Craig, while Flanagan criticized Craig's earlier support for the Laken Riley Act; Craig later repudiated that vote after two US citizens were killed by federal immigration officers in Minneapolis.
Republicans are also choosing nominees as they seek their first Minnesota statewide victory since 2006. Their Senate field includes former sports broadcaster Michele Tafoya, state-party-backed former Navy SEAL Adam Schwarze and former professional basketball player Royce White. In the governor's race, Senator Amy Klobuchar leads the Democratic field, while Republican contenders include state House Speaker Lisa Demuth, party-endorsed businessman Kendall Qualls and Donald Trump-endorsed businessman Mike Lindell.
The stakes extend beyond the statewide races. Craig's departure created a six-way Democratic primary in Minnesota's competitive 2nd Congressional District, whose winner will face unopposed Republican nominee Eric Pratt. Every seat in the state Legislature is also on the ballot this year; Democrats hold a one-seat Senate edge, while the 134-member House is evenly divided with 67 seats for each party.
Minnesota's Secretary of State says voters may participate in only one party's primary, although the state does not register voters by party. AP reported about 3.9 million registered voters as of August 3 and roughly 158,000 ballots already cast by Thursday. Polls close at 8 p.m. Central Time, and the nominees will advance to the November 3 general election, 84 days after primary day.
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