Background and campaign speaks on April 11, 2026. Former Minnesota House Speaker
Melissa Hortman was reportedly considering running for the seat before
her assassination in June 2025. The Democratic primary election between
progressive Lieutenant Governor
Peggy Flanagan and
moderate U.S. Representative
Angie Craig is widely seen as a part of the national struggle between the Democratic Party's progressive and moderate factions since the
2024 U.S. elections, with endorsements split by ideology. Flanagan has rejected accepting donations from corporate PACs or
AIPAC while Craig has defended accepting them.
Newsweek called the primary contest an "ideological proxy fight between
Bernie Sanders-style progressivism and
Bill Clinton-esque '
Third Way' centrism". Craig reportedly has the private backing of the Democratic Senate leadership, including
Chuck Schumer,
Kirsten Gillibrand, and the
Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), but they have not endorsed her. Flanagan and Craig condemned the
killing of Renée Good by an ICE agent amid
Trump's mass deportation campaign. Flanagan said she supports a "complete and total overhaul" of
ICE and criticized Craig for being "politically expedient" and voting for the
Laken Riley Act and a resolution expressing gratitude to ICE agents. Craig said she stood by her votes and that "Flanagan ... is twisting this and trying to create some sort of political advantage ... that is disgusting". Flanagan has since expressed support for
dismantling ICE and replacing it. Craig has called that stance extreme and said it will push away independents.
Candidates Declared •
Angie Craig,
U.S. representative from (2019–present) •
Peggy Flanagan,
lieutenant governor of Minnesota (2019–present) and former
state representative from district 46A (2015–2019) • Billy Nord, streaming company manager
Withdrawn •
Melisa López Franzen, former minority leader of the
Minnesota Senate (2021–2023) from the 49th district (2013–2023)
Declined •
Melvin Carter, former
mayor of
Saint Paul (2018–2026)
(endorsed Flanagan) •
Al Franken, former U.S. senator (2009–2018) •
Andrew Luger, former
U.S. Attorney for the
District of Minnesota (2014–2017, 2022–2025) •
Ilhan Omar, U.S. representative from (2019–present)
(running for reelection) •
Kelly Morrison, U.S. representative from (2025–present)
(running for reelection) •
Dean Phillips, former U.S. representative from (2019–2025) and
candidate for president in
2024 •
Steve Simon,
Minnesota Secretary of State (2015–present)
(running for reelection) •
Tina Smith, incumbent U.S. senator (2018–present)
Endorsements {{Endorsements box ;Executive branch officials •
Pete Buttigieg,
secretary of transportation (2021–2025) ;U.S. senators •
Tammy Baldwin,
Wisconsin (2013–present) •
Ruben Gallego,
Arizona (2025–present) •
Andy Kim,
New Jersey (2024–present) •
Catherine Cortez Masto,
Nevada (2017–present) •
Jacky Rosen,
Nevada (2019–present) ;U.S. representatives •
Hakeem Jeffries,
House minority leader (2023–present) from
NY-08 (2013–present) •
Sarah McBride,
DE-AL (2025–present) •
Collin Peterson, former (1991–2021) •
Dean Phillips, former (2019–2025) •
Mark Takano, (2013–present) •
Ritchie Torres, (2021–present) ;Labor unions •
American Federation of Government Employees •
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen Division 9 •
Teamsters Joint Council 32 •
Minnesota AFL-CIO Building and Construction Trades Council •
IUPAT District Council 82 •
Minnesota Professional Fire Fighters ;Organizations •
AIPAC •
Democratic Majority for Israel •
Elect Democratic Women •
Equality PAC •
Joint Action Committee for Political Affairs •
LGBTQ+ Victory Fund •
LPAC {{Endorsements box ;Executive branch officials •
Deb Haaland, former
secretary of the interior (2021–2025) ;U.S. senators •
Al Franken, former
Minnesota (2009–2018) •
Martin Heinrich,
New Mexico (2013–present) •
Ed Markey,
Massachusetts (2013–present) •
Jeff Merkley,
Oregon (2009–present) •
Tina Smith,
Minnesota (2018–present) •
Elizabeth Warren,
Massachusetts (2013–present) •
Chris Van Hollen,
Maryland (2017–present) •
Keith Ellison,
attorney general of
Minnesota (2019–present) ;Party officials •
Jaime Harrison, former chair of the
Democratic National Committee (2021–2025) ;Labor unions •
Service Employees International Union Minnesota State Council •
United Food and Commercial Workers Local 663 •
UNITE HERE Local 17 •
National Nurses United ;Organizations •
End Citizens United •
Indivisible •
Jane Fonda Climate PAC •
Minnesota 50501 •
OutFront Minnesota •
Patriotic Millionaires •
Vote Mama {{Endorsements box ;U.S. senators •
Amy Klobuchar,
Minnesota (2007–present) •
Tina Smith,
Minnesota (2018–present) ;Statewide officials •
Steve Simon,
secretary of state of
Minnesota (2015–present)
Fundraising Italics indicate a withdrawn candidate.
Polling == Republican primary ==