Matt Little, the former mayor of Lakeville and Minnesota state senator, won the Minnesota 2nd District Democratic primary on August 11 with 48.6% of the vote, defeating state Sen. Matt Klein and state Rep. Kaela Berg in a competitive three-way race to replace incumbent Angie Craig in the U.S. House.
Little had secured the Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) party endorsement in May, winning 63% of the delegate vote on the first ballot. That early backing positioned him as the frontrunner heading into the primary, though outside spending and late-stage organizing by supporters of his rivals kept the race competitive through Election Day.
The 2nd District is a swing district that has become one of Minnesota’s most closely watched races. Craig, who has represented the district since 2019, flipped the seat from Republican to Democratic control in 2018 and won reelection in 2024 with 55.5% of the vote. Her decision to run for retiring Sen. Tina Smith’s open Senate seat left the House seat open, triggering the six-candidate Democratic primary.
Little, a Lakeville native and attorney, served as mayor of the city from 2013 to 2017 and represented Minnesota State Senate District 58 from 2017 to 2021. His campaign emphasized pragmatic community leadership and a record of delivering results on housing, transit, and prescription drug costs. He held the endorsement of MoveOn and other progressive organizations.
The general election on November 3 will pit Little against Republican Eric Pratt, who ran unopposed in the GOP primary. The Cook Political Report rates the 2nd District as Likely Democratic, giving Little a significant advantage in a district that has trended Democratic in recent cycles.
Sources
- The New York Times — confirmed 48.6% vote share and primary date of August 11, 2026
- The Hill — reported Little defeated Klein and Berg in the three-way contest
- CBS Minnesota — covered Little’s 63% DFL endorsement win on May 9, 2026
- Wikipedia — provided biographical details on Little’s mayoral and state senate service
- PBS NewsHour — confirmed Pratt ran unopposed in the Republican primary
- MinnPost — reported on the competitive nature of the three-candidate Democratic primary
- Ballotpedia — documented Craig’s departure and the open-seat race context
