Minnesota has been in the hot seat the past two years. President Donald Trump has focused much of his attention on the northern state as it is home to Governor Tim Walz, Kamala Harris’ former running mate in the 2024 presidential election. Minnesota was also the target of an ICE operation, fraud investigations and now its Iron Ridge will be mined for steel.
The Land of 10,000 Lakes’ top two commodities are the traditional row crops of corn and soybeans followed by cattle. The 2022 Census of Agriculture puts the monetary total of those operations at $16.1 billion with more 65,531 farms spread across the state. Neither Michele Tafoya nor Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan have agriculture experience. These candidates would replace Sen. Tina Smith, who holds a spot on the Senate Agriculture Committee.
It’s a toss up for who Minnesota could elect. Recent polling gives Flanagan a narrow lead. She is four points ahead of Tafoya, just shy of the 3.5% margin of error. However, 9% of voters who responded were undecided.
Meet Michele Tafoya (R)
Tafoya made a name for herself on the sidelines. She is a California native, but moved to Minnesota in 1993 to begin her career in sports journalism.
Tafoya covered a record 327 NFL games. She also won four Emmy’s for her coverage. Tafoya says her journalism career will allow her to bring a spirit of accountability to Washington, D.C. “For my entire career, accountability mattered. If you didn’t prepare, if you didn’t deliver, people noticed. Government should be no different,” reads her campaign website.
In the years after her sports journalism career, Tafoya worked to position herself as a political and cultural commentator. She even started a podcast in 2022 that has amassed nearly 600 episodes.
Tafoya lists her priorities as stopping fraud, being tough on crime, cutting costs and taxes for the middle class, and “bring[ing] back courage and common sense.” The latter refers to not allowing transgender girls in high school sports, school choice, strengthening elections and more.
She does have an endorsement from President Trump, but does not appear to fully lean into it on the campaign trail. As Minneapolis news station KARE 11 reports, Tafoya distanced herself from the endorsement. She says she wants to unite all Minnesotans.
Meet Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan (D)
Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan is hoping her political experience will win over voters. She is the first Native American woman elected to statewide office in Minnesota.
Flanagan is honest about her backstory. She was raised by a single mom, and programs such as Section 8, SNAP and Medicaid helped them make ends meet. She grew up in the Twin Cities suburb St. Louis Park and still lives there today.
Flanagan began her time in the public eye as the youngest member of the Minneapolis School Board at 25 years old. She then worked at Wellstone Action, a political training program, for nearly a decade. Flanagan was instrumental in initiatives like the signature program, Camp Wellstone.
Her time in public service began in 2015 when she won a special election for state representative. She then won reelection in 2017. While in the Minnesota State House, she led Democrats on child care issues and formed the People of Color and Indigenous Caucus.
Flanagan’s stint as lieutenant governor began in 2019. She helped pass paid family and medical leave, led the pro-choice fight, worked to advance housing stability and more.
Flanagan does have the endorsement of her predecessor, Sen. Smith.
Q&A With Candidates
Michele Tafoya’s campaign did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
You’re running for a seat that has previously been on the Ag Committee. Do you hope to continue in that seat? Why or why not?
Lt. Gov. Flanagan: Absolutely. Agriculture is the backbone of Minnesota’s economy, and Minnesota is one of just a few states where both of our senators have historically served on the Agriculture Committee. I want to continue that tradition. It’s incredibly important that Minnesota farmers have a strong voice fighting for them in Washington, and I’ve spent years on the road across greater Minnesota, working hand in hand with farmers. That’s what I’ll bring to the committee.
What is your message for farmers/growers and ranchers? Why should they elect you to speak for them?
Lt. Gov. Flanagan: Farmers are being squeezed from every direction right now: rising costs, labor shortages, trade disruptions, shrinking markets, and uncertainty coming out of Washington. Donald Trump’s trade wars have cost Minnesota farmers markets they spent decades building. Now his illegal war in Iran has pushed diesel over $6 a gallon and sent fertilizer prices skyrocketing, right in the middle of harvest. What I hear from farmers over and over again is that they don’t want bailouts. They want customers, stable markets, predictable costs, and the ability to sell what they grow. Every time there’s chaos in Washington, farmers end up footing the bill. My opponent supported the war in Iran and told Minnesotans struggling at the pump to have a “stiff upper lip” and “take one less trip to Starbucks.” And she supports the tariffs that have hurt Minnesota farmers. Minnesota farmers need someone who will hold the president accountable when he’s hurting them, not make excuses for him. That’s what I’ll do.
What are your top three key agricultural policy positions?
Lt. Gov. Flanagan: First, we need a full, five-year Farm Bill. Congress hasn’t passed one since 2018, and farmers need stability. That means a Farm Bill that supports family farmers, not just the biggest operations. It should help the next generation of farmers get started and access land, invest in conservation, establish year-round E15, and protect SNAP. The Farm Bill has always been built on a coalition between the people who grow food and the people who need help putting food on the table. In Minnesota, farmers and families succeed together. Next, I’ll fight to rebuild and expand export markets. Minnesota farmers have spent decades building markets, paying for that work through their check-offs. The senseless tariffs and trade wars have destroyed those markets. Many of those markets don’t come back overnight, and some may never come back at all. I’ve joined Minnesota producers on trade missions, including to Canada. I know how hard they’ve worked to build those relationships, and politics should have nothing to do with it. My role is to be a champion for Minnesota farmers in global markets. Third, the right to repair. If you buy a tractor, you should be able to fix it yourself or take it to a mechanic you trust without being held hostage by manufacturers. The industry keeps taking half-steps. It’s time for real results on this issue and keep work and money in our local communities.
What are two things you’d like to see change for American agriculture?
Lt. Gov. Flanagan: Lower input costs. Some farmers saw fertilizer costs jump 40 to 50% in a matter of weeks, and when diesel goes up, everything goes up: planting, harvesting, and transporting crops. We should be doing everything we can to lower input costs, protect supply chains, and make sure farmers aren’t left holding the bag when global disruptions happen. That starts with ending the reckless war in Iran. It also means Congress remembering its role on tariffs instead of letting one person throw markets into a tailspin. More markets here at home. I support year-round E15 and strong biofuel markets because they’re good for farmers, good for rural communities, and good for Minnesota’s economy. What we’re seeing at the pump right now makes me want to lean in even harder. I often joke that I’m a super fan of sustainable aviation fuel, and it’s a great example of what happens when government, farmers, and the private sector partner together. It creates new markets for Minnesota crops, and Minnesota is leading the nation.
What is your favorite connection to or story about agriculture and farming?
Lt. Gov. Flanagan: SNAP, or what we called food stamps back in the day, is what put food on the table when I was growing up. When I was seven years old, the farmers fighting for the Farm Bill were also fighting to make sure I got fed. I’ve never forgotten that. In the Senate, I’ll return that fight by standing shoulder to shoulder with farmers on every part of the Farm Bill.
How do you, or will you, champion the agriculture producers in your constituency when faced with bi-partisan hurdles?
Lt. Gov. Flanagan: Agriculture has long been a place where Republicans and Democrats have been able to work together, especially on the Farm Bill. I know it’s been disappointing for people to see so much infighting. As a legislator and as lieutenant governor, I’ve delivered for farmers. I helped increase funding for Minnesota’s Agriculture, Growth, Research, and Innovation Program, expand mental health resources for farmers, and make Minnesota a national leader on sustainable aviation fuel. I’ll also keep doing what I’ve always done, which is showing up and hearing from people directly. I’d encourage every member of Congress to do the same. Farmers don’t care whether a good idea comes from a Republican or a Democrat. They just want people to remember who they work for.
