Minnesota primary for U.S. Senate: What to know
Like the governor's race, Minnesota's U.S. Senate primary is drawing a lot of attention due to it being an open race, after Sen. Tina Smith announced she is not seeking reelection.
The primary election will determine candidates for each political party in the November general election and will feature candidates for both partisan and nonpartisan races. Early voting is already underway.
Both the DFL and GOP sides are being closely watched, with plenty of storylines and high-profile candidates vying for the nomination.
Take a closer look at the main candidates in each party below. Candidates are listed in alphabetical order.
PRIMARY CANDIDATES FOR U.S. SENATE
GOP
Adam Schwarze
Adam Schwarze, a former Marine and Navy SEAL, won the Minnesota GOP endorsement for U.S. Senate.
On his campaign website, Schwarze says he'll tackle the issues that matter most, including a stronger American economy, a safer nation and "commonsense solutions that work." More specifically, Schwarze says he'll focus on small businesses and support lower taxes.
Michele Tafoya
Michelle Tafoya spent a decade as a sideline reporter for NBC Sports before ending her tenure in 2021.
In an interview with CBS News, Tafoya says she thinks the state is in a "middle-class crisis" in terms of policy, and says energy costs need to come down and schools need to "do better."
On her campaign website, she said accountability mattered her entire career and that "government should be no different."
Royce White
Royce White, a former Gopher and NBA basketball player, is returning to the race for U.S. Senate. In 2024, he lost to Sen. Amy Klobuchar after getting a surprise endorsement from the state GOP.
White has a controversial past, including failure to pay child support, a charge White denies, and making a number of derogatory social media comments.
On his campaign website, White lists his top issues as public safety, economy (globalism) and the Chinese Communist Party.
DFL
Angie Craig
Rep. Angie Craig, who currently represents Minnesota's 2nd Congressional District, has billed herself as a moderate with bipartisan accomplishments and a willingness to break with the Democratic Party.
Craig did not pursue the DFL's endorsement, which went to Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, but she does hold a considerable lead in fundraising.
In her campaign announcement in April 2025, she accused President Trump and billionaire Elon Musk of "burning our government down." She says her focus will be on "lowering costs, keeping our communities safe and fixing a broken Washington."
Peggy Flanagan
Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan is the country's highest-ranking Native woman elected to executive office.
In addition to the party endorsement, she has also received endorsements from outgoing Sen. Tina Smith and Attorney General Keith Ellison.
A political analyst told WCCO that some Republicans believe Flanagan, a progressive, could be more vulnerable in a general election, pointing to fraud that occurred during the Walz administration.
On her campaign website, her top three priorities are ending corruption, healthcare and "affording your life."