Minnesota’s August primary election set up all-women races for governor and U.S. Senate on November 3, 2026, marking a historic moment for a state that has never elected a woman to the governor’s office. Democrat Amy Klobuchar and Republican Lisa Demuth will compete for governor, while Democrat Peggy Flanagan will face Republican Michele Tafoya for the Senate seat being vacated by retiring Senator Tina Smith.
The primary, held on August 11, drew record-breaking turnout with more than 1 million votes cast overall, the largest in modern Minnesota history. Klobuchar won her Democratic primary race with 89.1% of the vote, while Demuth captured the Republican gubernatorial nomination.
Klobuchar, who has served in the U.S. Senate since 2007, highlighted her accomplishment as “the first woman elected to the United States Senate from the state of Minnesota” when addressing supporters. Demuth, the Minnesota House Speaker, emphasized her own path-breaking roles, saying “When I was elected as minority leader of my caucus, being the first woman as a Republican to ever hold top office, and then the first Republican speaker as a female and a person of color – that is an honor. But I look at Minnesota finally getting to have their first female governor. It’s time,” according to MPR News.
Minnesota is among 19 states that have never elected a woman as governor, making the general election significant for the state’s political landscape. The winner of the Klobuchar-Demuth race would become Minnesota’s first female chief executive.
Senate Race Features Historic All-Women Matchup
In the Senate race, Flanagan, Minnesota’s lieutenant governor, won the Democratic primary with 59% of the vote, defeating U.S. Representative Angie Craig and other candidates in a race that centered on immigration enforcement. Tafoya, a former professional sports broadcaster and journalist, won the Republican nomination with 52% of the vote, defeating former Navy SEAL Adam Schwarze and other challengers.
The Flanagan-Tafoya matchup marks the first U.S. Senate race in Minnesota history featuring two women nominees. Flanagan won despite being significantly outspent by Craig, and she told supporters at her election night gathering at First Avenue in Minneapolis: “I have been telling you that this campaign was about the many versus the money. Well, guess what? The many just won.”
Flanagan, who would become the first Native American woman in the U.S. Senate if elected, emphasized her focus on the economy and public safety. Tafoya, positioning herself as a political outsider, said Minnesota was headed in the wrong direction and that voters needed to elect candidates outside the traditional political establishment.
The Senate race is expected to draw national attention given the prominence of both candidates and their distinctly different backgrounds and philosophies. With the primary victories secured, both the gubernatorial and Senate races now move to the general election, where Minnesota voters will determine whether the state elects its first female governor and which party will represent the state in the U.S. Senate.
Sources
- MPR News — Klobuchar and Demuth primary victories, all-women governor race, Flanagan and Tafoya Senate race details, record primary turnout over 1 million votes, candidate quotes and campaign positioning
- Wikipedia — Flanagan’s 59% Democratic primary vote share, Tafoya’s 52% Republican primary vote share, confirmation of first all-women Senate race in Minnesota history
- Ballotpedia — Flanagan defeated Craig and other candidates in Democratic Senate primary, Tafoya defeated Schwarze and others in Republican primary
- PBS NewsHour — Flanagan’s Senate primary victory and progressive Democratic victory
- The Guardian — Flanagan’s win in immigration-focused Democratic Senate primary
