Republican Michele Tafoya took Democrat Peggy Flanagan to task for her dismal record as lieutenant governor in the first, and potentially only, debate between the two Minnesota U.S. Senate candidates. Hosted by NPR News on Friday, the showdown came just 18 days before the midterms.
Tafoya had previously appeared for a KSTP debate that Flanagan did not attend.
Flanagan focused on President Donald Trump, attacking Tafoya for having received Trump’s endorsement earlier in the week. Trump lost Minnesota in 2024, and the endorsement could prove more of a liability than an asset for Tafoya.
Tafoya responded, “Look, this campaign is about bringing all Minnesotans together, whether they voted for President Trump or whether they voted for Kamala.” Tafoya used the exchange to emphasize that her campaign is seeking support beyond traditional Republican voters.
Tafoya entered the race after a career in sports broadcasting and is making her first run for public office, while Flanagan has spent roughly two decades in public service. That contrast in political experience became part of a broader debate over bipartisanship and whether either candidate would be willing to stand up to their party.
Tafoya said the first thing she would do upon arriving in Washington would be to knock on the doors of the other 99 senators, arguing that it would take a bipartisan effort to address the current issues of the country. Tafoya questioned Flanagan’s own record of bipartisanship, accusing her opponent of never reaching across the aisle and questioning when she had stood up to Gov. Tim Walz or disagreed with her party in the past.
The debate then turned to crime, fraud and public safety, another area where Tafoya sought to make Flanagan’s record in Minnesota an issue.
She highlighted how the current Walz-Flanagan administration will not pin the violence on the Somali gangs in Minnesota who are responsible for much of the gang crime. Tafoya repeatedly pointed to her agenda to address Somali gang violence, arguing that politicians first need to “name the problem.” She accused the Walz-Flanagan administration of failing to do so.
Tafoya broadened her criticism of the Walz-Flanagan administration’s approach to law enforcement, criticizing the pair’s handling of protests and public safety during the Department of Homeland Security’s Operation Metro Surge. She challenged the characterization of protesters throwing rocks and bottles at ICE agents as peaceful and contrasted her approach to law enforcement with Flanagan’s.
As the debate moved toward the candidates’ broader records, Tafoya repeatedly sought to portray Flanagan as closely tied to Walz and corruption in his administration.
Flanagan was asked if she had any ownership in the fraud that took placed over the last two terms in the administration, and she replied by placing the blame on Walz. “The governor has been very clear that the buck stops with him. He was the one who had oversight here.”
Tafoya rejected Flanagan’s attempt to dodge accountability.
“Yes, this campaign is about Peggy Flanagan and a record of failure that spans 20 years, eight of which were as lieutenant governor, in which we saw historic fraud, taxpayer dollars stolen, sacred taxpayer dollars stolen. Education, our scores dipping dramatically. Crime spiking. Gang crime that she won’t name spiking. And a surplus turning into a deficit in the state of Minnesota. Yes, this is about Peggy Flanagan.”
Tafoya framed the election as a choice between giving Flanagan what she called a “promotion” to the Senate or handing her a “pink slip.”
That argument carried into the candidates’ clash over taxes and government spending.
On taxes, Tafoya said, “No tax on tips, overtime, or social security. Put money back into Minnesotans’ pockets.”
Flanagan was asked about raising or lowering taxes, she responded by saying she aims to continue to bring taxes down.
But Tafoya’s criticism quickly returned to one of her central attacks against Flanagan, which is the fraud in Minnesota.
“It is rich to hear my opponent talk about lost access to programs when under her watch, while she was second in command to this state, Minnesota saw billions and billions and billions of fraud dollars walk out the door to fraudsters.”
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[ H/T The Daily Signal ]
