Full Breakdown
Upper Midwest Senate Primaries Highlight Progressive-Moderate Divide in the Democratic Party
7/13/2026, 9:01:31 PM
Minnesota Senate Primary: Progressive vs. Moderate
Minnesota’s open U.S. Senate seat, vacated by Democratic Sen. Tina Smith, will be decided on Aug. 11. The contest pits U.S. Rep. Angie Craig, a moderate backed by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and other senior Democrats, against Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, who is supported by progressive senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren. Both candidates have accused each other of ties to corporate money and have framed the race as a test of the party’s ability to defeat former President Donald Trump’s agenda.
Upper Midwest Races and National Stakes
The Minnesota primary is part of a broader Upper Midwest showdown. Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary on Aug. 4 features Rep. Haley Stevens versus progressive Abdul El-Sayed for the seat of retiring Sen. Gary Peters, who has endorsed Stevens. Wisconsin’s Aug. 11 primary includes democratic-socialist Rep. Francesca Hong against establishment figures such as former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes and current Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez. Progressives view these contests as a final opportunity to reshape the Senate caucus before the 2028 presidential primary, while party leaders warn that overly radical messages could jeopardize winnable races.
Official Statements & Responses
Flanagan warned that Minnesota “is the very definition of a swing state” and condemned “secretive dark-money groups” she says are supporting Craig. Craig countered that Flanagan herself raised corporate funds while leading the Democratic Lieutenant Governors Association and argued that Democrats must retain resources to win elections. Progressive leaders, including Adam Green of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, framed the Michigan and Maine races as critical tests of a populist agenda.
Criticism & Opposition
Craig criticized progressives for “gambling with Democrats’ chances” and cited the recent collapse of Graham Platner’s Maine Senate campaign after sexual-assault allegations as evidence of poor vetting. She emphasized the need for a statewide coalition that can defeat Trump-aligned Republicans.
Verbatim Quotes
- “is the very folks who are standing in the way of the things that people need to be able to afford their lives, who are Democrats, are funded by these corporate special interests. That is the choice I think that we have, and people are onto it.” — Peggy Flanagan, Lt. Gov.
- “The coalition we’re building is people in Minnesota who understand that in order to stop Donald Trump, we’ve got to win elections,” — Angie Craig, U.S. Rep.
- “But until we get to that day, it’s naive to think that we’re not going to need resources,” — Angie Craig
- “We just saw one of our best Senate opportunities go down in flames in Maine, potentially, with that same coalition,” — Angie Craig
- “Abdul El-Sayed was already the most important primary candidate in the nation, and this underscores the importance of that race, both in the primary and the general,” — Adam Green, Progressive Change Campaign Committee co-founder
- “What’s interesting about the Upper Midwest is that you get well-developed and articulated left populism, and well-developed and articulated right populism in competition and combat. It produces some very lively election seasons,” — Steven Schier, political science professor, Carleton College
