2026 United States Senate election in Minnesota
The 2026 United States Senate election in Minnesota will be held on November 3, 2026, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the state of Minnesota, concurrently with other elections to the U.S. Senate, elections to the United States House of Representatives, and other state and local elections. Primary elections will be held on August 11, 2026. Incumbent Democratic Senator Tina Smith is not seeking reelection to a second full term. Smith was elected to her first full term with 48.74% of the vote in (/wiki/2020UnitedStatesSenateelectioninMinnesota) after winning a special election in (/wiki/2018UnitedStatesSenatespecialelectioninMinnesota) to complete the term of former Senator Al Franken, who resigned amid sexual harassment controversies.
Article
2026 United States Senate election in Minnesota
The 2026 United States Senate election in Minnesota will be held on November 3, 2026, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the state of Minnesota, concurrently with other elections to the U.S. Senate, elections to the United States House of Representatives, and other state and local elections. Primary elections will be held on August 11, 2026. Incumbent Democratic Senator Tina Smith is not seeking reelection to a second full term. Smith was elected to her first full term with 48.74% of the vote in (/wiki/2020UnitedStatesSenateelectioninMinnesota) after winning a special election in (/wiki/2018UnitedStatesSenatespecialelectioninMinnesota) to complete the term of former Senator Al Franken, who resigned amid sexual harassment controversies.
This will be the first U.S. Senate election in Minnesota without an incumbent since (/wiki/2006UnitedStatesSenateelectioninMinnesota).
Background
2026 United States Senate election in Minnesota
Minnesota is considered a blue state at the federal and state levels. Kamala Harris won it by four percentage points in the 2024 presidential election, and the last time a Republican won a statewide race was in (/wiki/2006Minnesotagubernatorialelection). The most recent Senate election, in (/wiki/2024UnitedStatesSenateelectioninMinnesota), saw DFL incumbent Amy Klobuchar defeat Republican Royce White by nearly 16 points. The most recent election for this seat, held in (/wiki/2020UnitedStatesSenateelectioninMinnesota), saw Smith defeat Republican nominee Jason Lewis by five points.
Democrats control all statewide offices, both U.S. Senate seats, and the minimum majority in the Minnesota Senate, while the Minnesota House of Representatives and the U.S. House delegation are both evenly split.
Democratic–Farmer–Labor primary
Background and campaign
Former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman was reportedly considering running for the seat before her assassination in June 2025.
The Democratic primary election between progressive Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan and moderate U.S. Representative Angie Craig is widely seen as a part of the national struggle between the Democratic Party's progressive and moderate factions since the 2024 U.S. elections, with endorsements split by ideology. Flanagan has rejected accepting donations from corporate PACs or AIPAC while Craig has defended accepting them. Newsweek called the primary contest an "ideological proxy fight between Bernie Sanders-style progressivism and Bill Clinton-esque 'Third Way' centrism".
Craig reportedly has the private backing of the Democratic Senate leadership, including Chuck Schumer, Kirsten Gillibrand, and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), but they have not endorsed her.
In November 2025, Center Forward Committee, a centrist super PAC, spent $630,000 on online and mail ads supporting Craig.
Flanagan and Craig condemned the killing of Renée Good by an ICE agent amid Trump's mass deportation campaign. Flanagan said she supports a "complete and total overhaul" of ICE and criticized Craig for being "politically expedient" and voting for the Laken Riley Act and a resolution expressing gratitude to ICE agents. Craig said she stood by her votes and that "Flanagan ... is twisting this and trying to create some sort of political advantage ... that is disgusting". Flanagan has since expressed support for dismantling ICE and replacing it. Craig has called that stance extreme and said it will push away independents.
Declared
• Angie Craig, U.S. representative from Minnesota's 2nd congressional district (2019–present) • Peggy Flanagan, lieutenant governor of Minnesota (2019–present) and former state representative from district 46A (2015–2019) • Billy Nord, streaming company manager
Withdrawn
• Melisa López Franzen, former minority leader of the Minnesota Senate (2021–2023) from the 49th district (2013–2023)
Declined
• Melvin Carter, former mayor of Saint Paul (2018–2026) (endorsed Flanagan) • Keith Ellison, Minnesota Attorney General (2019–present) and former U.S. representative from Minnesota's 5th congressional district (2007–2019) (running for reelection, endorsed Flanagan) • Al Franken, former U.S. senator (2009–2018) (endorsed Flanagan) • Jacob Frey, mayor of Minneapolis (2018–present) • Andrew Luger, former U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota (2014–2017, 2022–2025) • Ilhan Omar, U.S. representative from Minnesota's 5th congressional district (2019–present) (running for reelection) • Kelly Morrison, U.S. representative from Minnesota's 3rd congressional district (2025–present) (running for reelection) • Dean Phillips, former U.S. representative from Minnesota's 3rd congressional district (2019–2025) and candidate for president in (/wiki/2024UnitedStatespresidentialelection) (endorsed Craig) • Steve Simon, Minnesota Secretary of State (2015–present) (running for reelection) • Tina Smith, incumbent U.S. senator (2018–present) (endorsed Flanagan) • Tim Walz, governor of Minnesota (2019–present), Democratic nominee for U.S. vice president in (/wiki/2024UnitedStatespresidentialelection), and former U.S. representative from Minnesota's 1st congressional district (2007–2019) (ran for reelection, later withdrew)
Fundraising
<table><thead><tr><th>Campaign finance reports as of December 31, 2025</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Candidate</td><td>Raised</td><td>Spent</td><td>Cash on hand</td></tr><tr><td>Angie Craig (DFL)</td><td>$6,788,377</td><td>$3,001,653</td><td>$3,786,723</td></tr><tr><td>Peggy Flanagan (DFL)</td><td>$3,287,670</td><td>$2,477,023</td><td>$810,646</td></tr><tr><td>Source: Federal Election Commission</td></tr></tbody></table>
Polling
<table><thead><tr><th>Poll source</th><th>Date(s) administered</th><th>Sample size</th><th>Margin of error</th><th>Angie Craig</th><th>Peggy Flanagan</th><th>Other</th><th>Undecided</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>GQR (D)</td><td>January 14–20, 2026</td><td>600 (LV)</td><td>–</td><td>36%</td><td>49%</td><td>–</td><td>15%</td></tr><tr><td>Public Policy Polling (D)</td><td>January 16–17, 2026</td><td>976 (LV)</td><td>± 3.1%</td><td>28%</td><td>40%</td><td>–</td><td>31%</td></tr><tr><td>Impact Research (D)</td><td>January 13–15, 2026</td><td>600 (LV)</td><td>± 4.0%</td><td>42%</td><td>45%</td><td>3%</td><td>9%</td></tr><tr><td>NRSC (R)</td><td>July 4–7, 2025</td><td>559 (LV)</td><td>± 3.3%</td><td>24%</td><td>30%</td><td>–</td><td>45%</td></tr><tr><td>Public Policy Polling (D)</td><td>February 14–15, 2025</td><td>668 (LV)</td><td>–</td><td>22%</td><td>52%</td><td>–</td><td>27%</td></tr></tbody></table>
Republican primary
Declared
• David Hann, former Republican Party of Minnesota chair (2021–2025) and minority leader of the Minnesota Senate (2013–2017) • Adam Schwarze, former Navy SEAL • Michele Tafoya, reporter and retired sports broadcaster • Tom Weiler, retired U.S. Navy officer and nominee for Minnesota's 3rd congressional district in (/wiki/2022UnitedStatesHouseofRepresentativeselectionsinMinnesota#District3) • Royce White, former NBA player, nominee for U.S. Senate in (/wiki/2024UnitedStatesSenateelectioninMinnesota), and candidate for Minnesota's 5th congressional district in (/wiki/2022UnitedStatesHouseofRepresentativeselectionsinMinnesota#District5) • Mark York, farmer, computer scientist, and former White House Fellow
Filed paperwork
• Alycia Gruenhagen, food co-op manager, candidate for U.S. Senate in (/wiki/2024UnitedStatesSenateelectioninMinnesota), and Democratic candidate for Minnesota's 7th congressional district in (/wiki/2020UnitedStatesHouseofRepresentativeselectionsinMinnesota#District7) and (/wiki/2022UnitedStatesHouseofRepresentativeselectionsinMinnesota#District7) • Ray Petersen, truck driver and candidate for U.S. Senate in (/wiki/2024UnitedStatesSenateelectioninMinnesota) • Mike Ruoho, business owner
Potential
• Jim Nash, state representative from district 48A (2015–present)
Declined
• Willie Burton, former NBA player • Julia Coleman, state senator from the 48th district (2021–present) and daughter-in-law of former U.S. Senator Norm Coleman • Lisa Demuth, speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives (2025–present) from district 13A (2019–present) (running for governor) • Zach Duckworth, state senator from the 57th district (2021–present) • Tom Emmer, U.S. representative from Minnesota's 6th congressional district (2015–present) and nominee for governor in (/wiki/2010Minnesotagubernatorialelection) • Mike Lindell, CEO of My Pillow, advisor to president Donald Trump, and candidate for RNC chair in (/wiki/2023RepublicanNationalCommitteechairmanshipelection) (running for governor, endorsed White) • Chris Madel, attorney who represented Ryan Londregan • Tim Pawlenty, former governor of Minnesota (2003–2011) and candidate for president in (/wiki/2012UnitedStatespresidentialelection) • Pete Stauber, U.S. representative from Minnesota's 8th congressional district (2019–present) • Ryan Wilson, attorney and nominee for state auditor in (/wiki/2022MinnesotaStateAuditorelection) (running for lieutenant governor in (/wiki/2026Minnesotagubernatorialelection))
Fundraising
<table><thead><tr><th>Campaign finance reports as of December 31, 2025</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Candidate</td><td>Raised</td><td>Spent</td><td>Cash on hand</td></tr><tr><td>Ray Petersen (R)</td><td>$949</td><td>$949</td><td>$0</td></tr><tr><td>Adam Schwarze (R)</td><td>$822,518</td><td>$528,789</td><td>$293,728</td></tr><tr><td>Tom Weiler (R)</td><td>$82,239</td><td>$26,387</td><td>$57,613</td></tr><tr><td>Royce White (R)</td><td>$481,065</td><td>$533,331</td><td>$86,842</td></tr><tr><td>Source: Federal Election Commission</td></tr></tbody></table>
Polling
<table><thead><tr><th>Poll source</th><th>Date(s) administered</th><th>Sample size</th><th>Margin of error</th><th>David Hann</th><th>Adam Schwarze</th><th>Michele Tafoya</th><th>Royce White</th><th>Other</th><th>Undecided</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Peak Insights (R)</td><td>January 31 – February 1, 2026</td><td>500 (LV)</td><td>± 4.0%</td><td>3%</td><td>4%</td><td>41%</td><td>11%</td><td>7%</td><td>34%</td></tr></tbody></table>
General election
Predictions
<table><thead><tr><th>Source</th><th>Ranking</th><th>As of</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Inside Elections</td><td>Likely D</td><td>August 12, 2025</td></tr><tr><td>The Cook Political Report</td><td>Likely D</td><td>October 14, 2025</td></tr><tr><td>Sabato's Crystal Ball</td><td>Likely D</td><td>October 23, 2025</td></tr><tr><td>Race To The WH</td><td>Likely D</td><td>February 11, 2026</td></tr></tbody></table>
Polling
<table><thead><tr><th>Poll source</th><th>Date(s) administered</th><th>Sample size</th><th>Margin of error</th><th>Angie Craig (DFL)</th><th>Michele Tafoya (R)</th><th>Undecided</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Emerson College</td><td>February 6–8, 2026</td><td>1,000 (LV)</td><td>± 3.0%</td><td>47%</td><td>40%</td><td>13%</td></tr><tr><td>Impact Research (D)</td><td>July 8–11, 2025</td><td>604 (LV)</td><td>± 4.0%</td><td>49%</td><td>45%</td><td>6%</td></tr></tbody></table>
<table><thead><tr><th>Poll source</th><th>Date(s) administered</th><th>Sample size</th><th>Margin of error</th><th>Peggy Flanagan (DFL)</th><th>Michele Tafoya (R)</th><th>Undecided</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Emerson College</td><td>February 6–8, 2026</td><td>1,000 (LV)</td><td>± 3.0%</td><td>47%</td><td>41%</td><td>12%</td></tr><tr><td>Impact Research (D)</td><td>July 8–11, 2025</td><td>604 (LV)</td><td>± 4.0%</td><td>48%</td><td>45%</td><td>7%</td></tr></tbody></table>