Republican Senate Candidate In Deep Blue State In Striking Distance of Major Upset, Recent Polls Show

(Photo Credit: Fox News)

Here’s one Senate race to keep an eye on heading into November: Minnesota.

Several recent polls have shown former-sports-reporter-turned-Republican politician Michele Tafoya is in a virtual toss up with lieutenant governor Peggy Flanagan (D) to become the state’s new senator. If Tafoya can pull it off, she would become Minnesota’s first Republican senator in 18 years.

Insider Advantage’s new poll, which included 1,200 participants and was conducted between Monday and Tuesday, is the latest to show it, with Flanagan holding a 46-45 edge on Tafoya. That comes a week after Co/Efficient’s poll showed Flanagan had a 1 point advantage (43 to 42), and the KSPT 5 and SurveyAmerica poll from mid-September had the two candidates locked in a 42-42 tie.

Townhall columnist and GOP strategist Dustin Grage pointed out Tafoya’s positive polling in a Tuesday X post.

Despite the polling, the close battle hasn’t received much attention from the press lately. Instead, a lot of coverage has been focused on the Texas Senate race, where Democrat James Talarico is leading Republican Ken Paxton, President Donald Trump’s preferred candidate, in most polls. 

But a few pundits are starting to take notice, like CNN’s resident conservative Scott Jennings catching that’s three straight polls which have been favorable to Tafoya.”Live ball there it seems,” Jennings posted on X.

And Center for American Progress chief Neera Tanden noticed it as well, saying it was “kinda worrying” for Dems. 

Tafoya worked for years as a top sideline reporter for NBC Sports and ESPN before moving into politics. Her campaign is focused on ending the reported widespread fraud in Minnesota, continuing Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration, and cutting costs for the middle class.

Her website also said Tafoya wants to “bring back courage and common sense,” which would include ending “radical social experiments” like having men who have transitioned compete against women in sports.

Flanagan’s lengthy list of priorities includes halting “offensive weapons sales to Israel,” stopping ICE’s “out of control” raids, and making more guns illegal. Her website also called for helping working class people exploited by America’s “rigged” system, while adding “Trump is seriously threatening our democracy” for good measure.

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