Lesbian Congresswoman Angie Craig Loses Democratic Primary in Minnesota
Craig, who has served several terms in the House of Representatives, lost to more progressive candidate Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan.
Out U.S. Rep. Angie Craig of Minnesota lost to the state’s Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan in Minnesota’s Democratic primary on Tuesday for the U.S. Senate.
The race became one of several this primary season that saw Craig, a more centrist Democrat, run against a slightly more progressive one, Flanagan.
Flanagan received 58.7% of the total vote (364,167 votes) while Craig finished second with 39.7% and 246,157 votes. The two were competing for the open seat left by retiring US Sen. Tina Smith, also a Democrat. Flanagan will now face Republican Michele Tafoya in the general election. If Flanagan wins, she’ll be the first Native American woman elected to the Senate.
No Republican senator has been elected from the state since 2002.
Craig flipped a Republican-held congressional seat in 2018, and every two years she overcame millions of dollars of attack ads to win tough re-election campaigns. Craig was one of the House Democrats to call for then-US President Joe Biden to drop out of the 2024 race after his debate against Trump.
Craig had faced stiff criticism after voting for a law that was part of Trump’s immigration crackdown. That law is the Laken Riley Act of 2025, which requires federal authorities to detain migrants who face charges of theft and violent crimes. She has since said she regrets the vote.
Immigration took center stage during the election. From late 2025 through early 2026, federal immigration agents were stationed throughout Minneapolis as part of a Trump administration deportation campaign. The operation drew demonstrators, causing clashes with city residents. In January, queer mother Renee Good and nurse Alex Pretti were fatally shot by federal officers, provoking a nationwide backlash to the administration’s immigration policies. Craig and Flanagan both slammed the Trump administration for the operation in the state. In Congress, Craig introduced articles of impeachment against then-US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
“I consider myself a progressive,” Craig told reporters after an event on Saturday before the election, defending her politics. “Every race that I run, Republicans run ads against me saying I vote with Democrats 96, 97 percent of the time.”
As one of the few out women members of Congress and the first lesbian mother member of Congress, Craig has been a vocal supporter of LGBTQ+ rights. Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and gay former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg had endorsed Craig.
Craig conceded Tuesday night and threw her support behind Flanagan.
“This election was a choice between two women, and it’s a great damn day to see women running, even against each other,” Craig told supporters, urging them to back Flanagan in November’s election.
