Minnesota Dem Sen. Tina Smith Endorses Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan for Her Seat Ahead of Primary

February 3, 2026
12:16 am

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Outgoing Minnesota Senator Tina Smith, the Democrat who stepped into the seat via appointment in 2018 after Al Franken's resignation scandal, just dropped a bombshell endorsement for Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan to replace her. This move snubs Rep. Angie Craig, a fellow Democrat who's already jumping into the race armed with fat campaign war chests and nods from heavy hitters like EMILY's List. Smith's early backing—before the primary dust even settles—signals a calculated power play in the DFL (that's Minnesota's Democrat-Farmer-Labor Party for the uninitiated), pitting Flanagan's progressive bona fides against Craig's more moderate, fundraising-fueled machine. It's insider baseball at its finest, with Smith anointing her preferred successor to keep the seat safely blue in a state that's been trending purple. For the 2A community, this intraparty knife fight is a golden opportunity to watch Democrats eat their own while we sharpen our messaging. Both Flanagan and Craig have gun control fingerprints all over them—Flanagan backed Minnesota's 2023 assault weapons ban and red flag laws as Walz's number two, while Craig voted for the bipartisan Safer Communities Act and has pushed universal background checks. But Flanagan's harder-left edge could make her a juicier target in the general; her Anishinaabe heritage and social justice warrior vibe might energize the base but alienate swing voters in gun-friendly rural Minnesota, where concealed carry is a way of life. Smith's endorsement locks in progressive loyalty, potentially sidelining Craig's broader appeal and fundraising edge (she's already hauled in over $1 million). If Flanagan wins the primary, expect a bloodbath in November 2026 against a solid Republican challenger—think a pro-2A fighter like Navy SEAL vet and former Rep. Erik Paulsen redux—who can hammer her on everything from tyrannical gun grabs to skyrocketing crime under Walz-Flanagan. The implications ripple nationally too: a Flanagan victory keeps Minnesota's Senate seat in the Kamala-Walz orbit, amplifying anti-2A votes on SCOTUS confirmations and federal overreach like ATF pistol brace rules. But her polarizing profile hands 2A advocates a clear foil to rally around, especially if Republicans hold the House and flip the Senate. Keep an eye on this—early money from Craig could still flip the script, but Smith's tribal endorsement just made the primary a proxy war for the soul of the Democrat Party. Gun owners, sharpen your pencils; this seat's in play, and we're not sitting it out.

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Outgoing Minnesota Senator Tina Smith, the Democrat who stepped into the seat via appointment in 2018 after Al Franken’s resignation scandal, just dropped a bombshell endorsement for Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan to replace her. This move snubs Rep. Angie Craig, a fellow Democrat who’s already jumping into the race armed with fat campaign war chests and nods from heavy hitters like EMILY’s List. Smith’s early backing—before the primary dust even settles—signals a calculated power play in the DFL (that’s Minnesota’s Democrat-Farmer-Labor Party for the uninitiated), pitting Flanagan’s progressive bona fides against Craig’s more moderate, fundraising-fueled machine. It’s insider baseball at its finest, with Smith anointing her preferred successor to keep the seat safely blue in a state that’s been trending purple.

For the 2A community, this intraparty knife fight is a golden opportunity to watch Democrats eat their own while we sharpen our messaging. Both Flanagan and Craig have gun control fingerprints all over them—Flanagan backed Minnesota’s 2023 assault weapons ban and red flag laws as Walz’s number two, while Craig voted for the bipartisan Safer Communities Act and has pushed universal background checks. But Flanagan’s harder-left edge could make her a juicier target in the general; her Anishinaabe heritage and social justice warrior vibe might energize the base but alienate swing voters in gun-friendly rural Minnesota, where concealed carry is a way of life. Smith’s endorsement locks in progressive loyalty, potentially sidelining Craig’s broader appeal and fundraising edge (she’s already hauled in over $1 million). If Flanagan wins the primary, expect a bloodbath in November 2026 against a solid Republican challenger—think a pro-2A fighter like Navy SEAL vet and former Rep. Erik Paulsen redux—who can hammer her on everything from tyrannical gun grabs to skyrocketing crime under Walz-Flanagan.

The implications ripple nationally too: a Flanagan victory keeps Minnesota’s Senate seat in the Kamala-Walz orbit, amplifying anti-2A votes on SCOTUS confirmations and federal overreach like ATF pistol brace rules. But her polarizing profile hands 2A advocates a clear foil to rally around, especially if Republicans hold the House and flip the Senate. Keep an eye on this—early money from Craig could still flip the script, but Smith’s tribal endorsement just made the primary a proxy war for the soul of the Democrat Party. Gun owners, sharpen your pencils; this seat’s in play, and we’re not sitting it out.

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