Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan has defeated sportscaster Michele Tafoya to become the state’s first Native American senator.
With 97% of precincts counted, Flanagan had 54% of the vote to 43.5% for Tafoya.
Her win came as a blue wave swept races nationwide, leading Democrats to retake control of the U.S. Senate and House.
The Native American community in attendance at the DFL election watch party welcomed Flanagan with a drum circle.
“Minnesota, you just beat Donald Trump again,” Flanagan said after being welcomed onto the stage by her husband, Tom Weber. “The grift stops now. Because all across the state and all across this country people are saying enough is enough!”
“Today is the start of a new American movement.”
Flanagan paused her speech multiple times as the crowd broke out into cheers. “I’m a proud daughter of the White Earth Nation. And my family is the Wolf Clan. And in our family, we don’t leave anyone behind.”
Flanagan thanked Tina Smith, waiting by the stage, whose Senate seat she will take over. She also thanked Tafoya and said they spoke over the phone earlier.
At her own watch party in Edina, Tafoya took the stage at 11:15, thanking her supporters and telling them she had called Flanagan to concede the race. She said she was proud of her campaign and its attempt to challenge Flanagan’s role in a state government that had presided over large fraud scandals. She pledged to continue to fight for her vision.
“The voters spoke, so we’re going to respect the voters,” Tafoya told the crowd. “Now, we’ve got to move on.”
Flanagan ran as a progressive on issues like Medicaid for all, universal childcare and “dismantling” U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Tafoya, a former national TV sportscaster, positioned herself as a moderate Republican on issues like abortion while also hammering Flanagan on the state’s fraud cases.
Shortly before 10:30 p.m., Flanagan was trailing Tafoya by about 6%, with only 32% votes counted. Amid celebratory discussions with her friend, Nikki Villavicencio said she knew the race would be close, and that she is feeling “nervous but hopeful.”
Villavicencio, who used to chair the Minnesota Council on Disability under Gov. Tim Walz got to know Flanagan during the time. Her wheelchair has a picture of Flanagan hoisted on top.
“She has been a real ally to people with disabilities,” Villavicencio said. For Villavicencio, Flanagan’s promise to work towards Medicare for All helped strengthen her support. “Policies are a reflection of principles, and she understands that we all as humans deserve [Medicare for All].
“I was extremely impressed by her involvement and she evolved as a leader in understanding healthcare policy but more specifically disability policy because many times, the disability community are left out of conversations even within diversity.”
Nichole Subola, who is Dakota, said she, too, knew the results would be close. Subola, who said she has met Flanagan multiple times, described her as “joyful, sincere, direct, she really listens, she comes from the heart and she comes from the heart.”
Supporters of Flanagan and gubernatorial candidate Amy Klobuchar started to trickle into the watch party around 8:15 p.m., packing the room amid chatter, selfies and pop music blaring in the background.
Diane Wilson came to the watch party with her friends, all of whom called themselves “diehard Peggy fans,” citing her strong campaign around Medicare for All, abolishing ICE, and “just the way that she stands up our Minnesota families.”
Wilson, an enrolled member of the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota, arranged a fundraiser for Flanagan in the St. Croix River Valley. “It’s a predominantly white community, but they all turned out and they gave generously,” she said. “People want her as our senator.”
Wilson is also excited about Native American representation in the U.S. Senate. “About damn time,” she said. “We’re going to make history tonight.”
Angela Mayer, a climate fellow with Faith in Minnesota, said she is at the watch party to support both the DFL candidates to “fight back against the current administration.” Mayer added that “it’s crazy” there hasn’t been a Native American woman in the Senate to date.
“Always happy when marginalized groups meet those milestones, and hopefully she makes it, and then inspires another generation to follow after that, and we can get more diversity,” Mayer said.
Michele Tafoya entered her Minnetonka watch party shortly before 7:30 p.m., and instantly began holding a staffer’s baby. The sportscaster turned GOP Senate nominee warmly greeted a few dozen supporters, gently ribbing one man in a baseball hat, “Thanks for dressing up.”
Denice Tauteges told Sahan Journal she’s drawn to Tafoya based on her direct nature. She believes Tafoya will take fraud issues head on. Tauteges said she appreciates Tafoya’s conservative values, but also thinks Tafoya will be willing to work across the aisle.
“She calls it like she sees it,” Tauteges said.
The crowd at the watch party was subdued around 8 p.m. as Fox News started to show early results from the East Coast and initial numbers showing Democratic candidates taking leads in Texas.
Tafoya took the stage at 8:05, briefly thanking the crowd for their support throughout the campaign.
“We know returns are just starting to come in,” Tafoya said. “We’re going to watch them with great faith. And we’re going to celebrate at the end of the night.”
Anne Felber wasn’t planning to support Michele Tafoya for Senate. Felber, a delegate to the Republican convention in May, said she got a call from Tafoya out of the blue. The two ended up talking for over an hour, Felber said, and she became convinced Tafoya was a strong candidate.
Tafoya showed up for campaign events in Sherburne County, where Felber lives, and connected with people on a human level, she said. She liked that Tafoya is a moderate and said the former broadcaster would be able to unite people.
“If Minnesota doesn’t elect her they’ll miss out one of their best chances to truly represent everyone,” Felber said.
By 10 p.m. the crowd at Tafoya’s watch party was quiet and thinning out. Early Minnesota results still had Tafoya with a narrow lead, but the losses for Republicans nationwide were sapping enthusiasm from the room.
Flanagan had linked Tafoya to President Donald Trump, noting his endorsement of her. She also criticized Tafoya for statements she made last spring telling the public to have a “stiff upper lip” and take less trips to Starbucks to pay for the war against Iran. Tafoya changed her position last month and called for a “responsible” end to the Iran war.
“I’m not running to make history, but it is about damn time we have a Native American woman serving in the Senate,” Flanagan told Sahan Journal in August. “When our elected officials reflect the communities they represent, I think that’s good for democracy.”
As of July, the most recent date for campaign finance reporting, Flanagan had raised $6.5 million to Tafoya’s $5.2 million. National Republican groups have not spent money on Tafoya, while the national Democratic Lieutenant Governors Association spent $3.15 million on Flanagan leading up to the August primary election.
Sahan Journal reporter Joey Peters contributed to this story.
