Democratic · Minnesota
Peggy Flanagan
U.S. Senator-elect from Minnesota; Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota
Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan won Minnesota's open U.S. Senate seat 53.7% to Republican Michele Tafoya's 43.6% on Nov. 3, 2026 (AP data via NBC News). A citizen of the White Earth Nation, she becomes the first Native American woman elected to the Senate.
- 2026 race
- U.S. Senate, Minnesota
- Result
- Won (hold): Flanagan 53.7%, Tafoya 43.6% [Source]
Biography
Flanagan has been Minnesota's lieutenant governor since 2019, serving with Gov. Tim Walz, after time in the Minnesota House. She won the DFL nomination on Aug. 11, 2026, for the seat left open by Sen. Tina Smith's retirement.
Record
- Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota since 2019
- Minnesota House of Representatives (2015–2019)
Life & background
- She is of Irish and Ojibwe descent and a citizen of the White Earth Nation. [Source]
- She trained activists and candidates at Wellstone Action. [Source]
Coverage
People · Explainer
A pediatrician, a public-health doctor, an auditor and an Ojibwe organizer: meet the Democrats' breakout classAnnie Andrews, Amy Acton, Rob Sand and Peggy Flanagan won in very different places. Here's who they are.
Sources
- 2026 Senate Results: Democrats retake control — NBC News (AP data)
- 2026 Senate midterm election results as Democrats win control — CBS News
- Peggy Flanagan – Wikipedia — Wikipedia