![]() | |||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
|
Elections 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. Incumbent Democratic Senator Tina Smith is not seeking election to a second full term. Smith was elected to her first full term with 48.74% of the vote in 2020 after winning a special election in 2018 to complete the term of former Senator Al Franken, who resigned amid sexual harassment allegations. [1] [2]
This will be the first U.S. Senate election in Minnesota without an incumbent since 2006. [3]
Minnesota is considered a slightly to moderately 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 2006, when Tim Pawlenty was narrowly reelected governor over DFL nominee Mike Hatch. The most recent Senate election, in 2024, saw DFL incumbent Amy Klobuchar defeat Republican Royce White by nearly 16 points. [4] The most recent election for this seat, held in 2020, saw Smith defeat Republican nominee Jason Lewis by five points. [5] Governor Mark Dayton originally nominated Smith to the seat after incumbent Al Franken resigned; she had been Dayton's lieutenant governor. [6] Smith won the special election to serve the rest of Franken's term in 2018. [7]
Democrats have had considerably more success in the state in recent years.[ citation needed ] They 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. [8] [9]
Abou Amara, a DFL lawyer and political analyst, told Axios that the "once in a generation" opportunity to win an open U.S. Senate seat will likely fuel a competitive and damaging DFL primary battle between "A-level talent across the ideological spectrum" of the Democratic party. [10]
Italics indicate a withdrawn candidate.
Campaign finance reports for Q2 , 2025 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Candidate | Raised | Spent | Cash on hand |
Angie Craig (DFL) | $2,486,330 | $670,229 | $1,816,101 |
Peggy Flanagan (DFL) | $1,368,959 | $585,740 | $783,220 |
Melisa López Franzen (DFL) | $299,376 | $299,376 | $0 |
Source: Federal Election Commission [49] |
Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size [a] | Margin of error | Angie Craig | Peggy Flanagan | Undecided |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Public Policy Polling (D) [50] | February 14–15, 2025 | 668 (LV) | – | 22% | 52% | 27% |
Campaign finance reports for Q2 , 2025 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Candidate | Raised | Spent | Cash on hand |
Ray Petersen (R) | $104 | $104 | $0 |
Adam Schwarze (R) | $217,632 | $120,864 | $96,768 |
Royce White (R) | $329,502 | $284,483 | $183,844 |
Source: Federal Election Commission [49] |
Source | Ranking | As of |
---|---|---|
Inside Elections [66] | Likely D | July 24, 2025 |
The Cook Political Report [67] | Likely D | August 7, 2025 |
Sabato's Crystal Ball [68] | Lean D | March 12, 2025 |
Race To The WH [69] | Lean D | April 27, 2025 |
One name to cross off the list of potential candidates: first-term Democratic Rep. Kelly Morrison, who said in a brief interview she was staying put
Today, Minnesota State Auditor Julie Blaha endorsed Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan's bid for U.S. Senate.
Today, the Chairs of the Minnesota Senate and House Inclusive Democracy Caucus...threw their full support behind Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan's U.S. Senate campaign.
Rep. Kelly Morrison also told me she won't endorse in the primary.
And he told MPR News that he's not planning to endorse another DFLer for the post.
Former NBA and University of Minnesota player Willie Burton is 'strongly' considering a run in the Republican primary for the state's soon-open Senate seat, according to two people familiar with his plans.
In a post Saturday on X, state Sen. Zach Duckworth (R) ruled himself out of the [Senate] race
Two more Republicans, state Sen. Zach Duckworth and attorney Chris Madel, each took their names out of contention for the Senate race.
Simonetti said she is running for the Senate as an independent and is "allowing the steps to unfold," suggesting she has not ruled out seeking a party endorsement.