Endorsement battles at center of Minnesota DFL race for U.S. Senate

The two top contenders in the DFL race for U.S. Senate faced off in a debate at Minnesota Public Radio on Monday. 

With the primary two weeks from Tuesday, the debate comes at a pivotal time in the race. Two awkward endorsing controversies have suddenly surfaced.

Gwen Walz endorsed Rep. Angie Craig, highlighting the fact that Gov. Tim Walz has not endorsed either candidate, including Peggy Flanagan, who is his own lieutenant governor.

"It honestly speaks for itself that the lieutenant governor worked with the governor for the last eight years, and he has declined to endorse her personally in this race. It's probably, I will say, it's interesting in the most Minnesota sense," said Craig.

The moderator asked Flanagan if she asked Gov. Walz to endorse her. She said, "The governor is really clear very early on that he was going to stay neutral and I appreciate that."

"That's his position. I am encouraged that I have support from folks all across the country," Craig said when the moderator asked her.

Craig is also denying state Sen. John Hoffman's claim at a rally that she sought an endorsement from him while he was in the ICU recovering from an assassin's attack.

"I don't know what Sen. Hoffman went through when he was in the ICU, but what I can tell you is that I would never, ever do that," Craig said.

"Any additional conversations about any of that is between Congresswoman Craig and the Hoffmans, and I think she could probably show a little more kindness and grace in this moment," Flanagan said. 

Craig hit hard on fraud, warning that if Flanagan wins the primary, she would likely go up against Michele Tafoya, the former broadcaster who is leading GOP primary polls

"It's my responsibility to warn Democratic primary voters that Republicans are dying to run against you because they believe you have a unique vulnerability on fraud," said Craig.

Flanagan insists every Democrat is a target.

"Republicans are attacking every Democrat on fraud, from Amy Klobuchar to Keith Ellison, to Congresswoman Craig," she said. "Just last week, there was a Republican ad that came up that had both of us up, next to each other, side by side."

Hoffman is standing by the story he shared at the rally. It's not clear what kind of impact any of these endorsement battles will have on voters.

Both Craig and Flanagan pledged that if they are the loser in the primary, they will readily endorse and campaign for the winner.