Debate, Endorsement News Shake up DFL Primary for US Senate
The endorsement came hours before Craig and Peggy Flanagan traded attacks on fraud, spending and immigration in their second debate.
- On Monday, July 27, 2026, U.S. Rep. Angie Craig and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan sparred in their second DFL primary debate, hours after Minnesota first lady Gwen Walz endorsed Craig to replace retiring Sen. Tina Smith.
- The debate turned heated as candidates clashed over fraud, immigration, and outside spending; Flanagan accused Craig of borrowing "Republican talking points," while Craig argued the lieutenant governor faces a "unique vulnerability on fraud."
- Craig denied claims from Sen. John Hoffman that she sought his endorsement while he was in the ICU, while Flanagan claimed AIPAC labeled her a "threat" for blocking arms sales to Israel.
- Despite the friction, both candidates pledged to unify the DFL base following the August 11 primary, with Craig claiming she consolidates Democratic voters at 96% compared to Flanagan at 95%.
- Gwen Walz's endorsement signals support for Craig's centrist platform over Flanagan's progressive agenda, while the Cook Political Report currently rates the competitive Senate seat as a "Likely D.
29 Articles
29 Articles
Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate get into the ring
With primaries just two weeks from today, Angie Craig and Peggy Flanagan sought to draw distinctions between their positions on a host of issues at their second debate as they vie to be the next DFL candidate for U.S. Senate. The biggest talking points revolved around AIPAC, ICE’s surge in Minnesota and the latest kerfuffle around whether Craig asked lawmaker John Hoffman for his endorsement while he was still in the hospital after being shot b…
Post Bulletin
Debate, endorsement news shake up DFL primary for US Senate
The second debate between Angie Craig and Peggy Flanagan comes as first lady Gwen Walz endorses Craig, and new endorsement-related claims about Craig come to light.
Grand Rapids Herald-Review
Southernminn.comTakeaways from the latest debate between Democratic Senate hopefuls Angie Craig, Peggy Flanagan
U.S. Rep. Angie Craig and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan traded critiques of one another Monday during their second debate as the duo face off in a competitive and sometimes acidic Democratic primary for U.S. Senate. Minnesota Public Radio politics editor…
Tim Walz's wife endorses Angie Craig for Senate as outgoing governor stays mum
Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) has still not weighed in on the Minnesota Democratic Senate primary race with an endorsement, but on Monday, his wife did. Minnesota’s first lady, Gwen Walz, backed Rep. Angie Craig (D-MN) in her race against Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan (D-MN) to fill the U.S. Senate seat left vacant by retiring Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN). Gwen Walz’s endorsement of Craig is not only a diss to her husband’s lieutenant governor but also a signal in f…
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