Democrats’ progressive and centrist factions are on track for a major showdown in Minnesota next year.
In the primary to replace retiring Sen. Tina Smith, two leading candidates from Minnesota’s Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party — Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan and Rep. Angie Craig — have emerged with clashing views of how to rebuild the party after Donald Trump’s second White House victory. The progressive Flanagan, a former community organizer, preaches about the need to embrace a bold vision of governance. Craig, who represents a battleground House district, pledges to court Republican voters and boasts about her ability to campaign in deep red areas.
Their differing approaches are representative of a larger split in the Democratic Party in the second Trump era, as the party debates how it can recover from last November’s defeats. The Minnesota Senate primary will be an indicator of what a winning message looks like for Democrats: appealing to the center or leaning into progressivism.