Minnesota and Wisconsin are holding primary elections Tuesday that will determine the Democratic nominees in several competitive races heading into the November midterm elections. Wisconsin, a swing state in presidential contests, features a Democratic gubernatorial primary between state lawmaker Francesca Hong and Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, while Minnesota's open U.S. Senate seat pits U.S. Rep. Angie Craig against Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan in what has been shaped in part by the Trump administration's immigration enforcement operations in the Twin Cities.
Minnesota and Wisconsin Hold Primaries That Will Shape Democratic Direction Ahead of November Midterms
Minnesota and Wisconsin are holding primary elections Tuesday that will determine the Democratic nominees in several competitive races heading into the November midterm elections. Wisconsin, a swing state in presidential contests, features a Democratic gubernatorial primary between state lawmaker Francesca Hong and Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, while Minnesota's open U.S. Senate seat pits U.S. Rep. Angie Craig against Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan in what has been shaped in part by the Trump administration's immigration enforcement operations in the Twin Cities.
In Wisconsin's Democratic gubernatorial primary, Hong, a 37-year-old state lawmaker, chef, and member of the Democratic Socialists of America, has led in polls for much of the race. She has called for Medicare for All, universal childcare, and a moratorium on data centers. Hong is a member of the democratic socialist caucus in the Wisconsin state Legislature but has not received an official endorsement from the Democratic Socialists of America.
Crowley, described in the source as the first Black man to hold his position as Milwaukee County Executive, withdrew from the race then re-entered within days, receiving the endorsement of outgoing Gov. Tony Evers. Following his re-entry, Crowley's campaign raised hundreds of thousands of dollars, according to the source, outpacing Hong's fundraising in that period. Crowley has pointed to spending by national Republican groups on advertisements reportedly supporting Hong, characterizing it as an effort by Republicans to select an opponent they viewed as beatable.
A third candidate, whose identity is not specified by name in the source, dropped out after campaign turmoil in the final weeks, with some Democrats consolidating behind Crowley. Polls in the campaign's final week indicated that at least a third of Democratic voters remained undecided, according to the source.
The Republican nominee for Wisconsin governor is expected to be U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, who faces only nominal primary opposition. Tiffany holds an endorsement from President Trump and the backing of GOP megadonors, according to the source. He was among members of Congress who signed onto a lawsuit challenging the 2020 presidential election result in Wisconsin. Democrats in the state are seeking to hold the governorship and flip both chambers of the state Legislature, which Republicans currently control.
In Minnesota, Democratic Sen. Tina Smith announced she would not seek another term, opening the state's first competitive U.S. Senate primary in two decades. The race between Craig and Flanagan has been shaped, according to the source, by Trump administration immigration enforcement in the Twin Cities area, referred to as Operation Metro Surge. Two people, Renee Macklin Good and Alex Pretti, were fatally shot by federal agents weeks apart during that period, according to the source.
Flanagan has cited a vote Craig cast in Congress for a Trump-backed immigration measure, the Laken Riley Act, which the source describes as allowing detention of people without legal status who are charged with crimes ranging from minor theft to assault on law enforcement. Craig has said she regrets that vote. Flanagan holds endorsements from U.S. Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, as well as the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party. Craig holds a fundraising advantage over Flanagan, according to a review of FEC filings by OpenSecrets cited in the source.
The winner of the Democratic Senate primary will face the winner of a Republican primary among sports broadcaster Michele Tafoya, Navy SEAL Adam Schwarze, and former NBA player Royce White.
On the Republican side of Minnesota's gubernatorial primary, MyPillow founder Mike Lindell has led in polls following an endorsement from President Trump. Businessman Kendall Qualls received the endorsement of the state Republican Party at its convention. Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth is the only Republican candidate with prior political experience and has led the GOP field in fundraising, according to the source. The Republican Party of Minnesota has questioned whether Lindell meets residency requirements. A former party leader, whose identity is not specified in the source, republished allegations that Lindell physically abused a former girlfriend in a column in the state's largest newspaper. Lindell has denied both the abuse allegations and any residency issue, and has alleged the challenge is a coordinated effort by party leaders who oppose his candidacy. Minnesota has not elected a Republican governor since Tim Pawlenty was re-elected in 2006.
Gov. Tim Walz did not seek a third term, and Democratic U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar is described in the source as the only formidable Democrat running for governor.
- Current polling margins in any of the races are not provided
- The identity of the candidate who dropped out of the Wisconsin Democratic primary after campaign turmoil is not given
- The specific dollar amounts raised by Crowley or Hong after Crowley's re-entry are not stated
- The name of the state's largest newspaper that published the column about Lindell is not provided
- The identity of the former Republican party leader who wrote the column about Lindell is not specified
- The specific nature or outcome of the Trump administration's war with Iran referenced in the Tiffany section is not established by the source
- Details of Trump's approval ratings referenced in the Tiffany section are not sourced or quantified
- The outcome of the Abdul El-Sayed Michigan primary referenced in the introduction is described only as a narrow defeat of a more moderate candidate; no margin or further context is given
- No Republican candidates for Minnesota's open U.S. Senate seat are polled or assessed for their general election viability
- The source does not establish whether any candidate has secured enough support to win any of these primaries