Tafoya Uses Minnesota Senate Debate to Make Election a Referendum on Flanagan’s Record – www.dailysignal.com
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EXCERPT:
Republican Michele Tafoya took Democrat Peggy Flanagan to task for her dismal record as lieutenant governor in the first, and potentially only, debate between the two Minnesota U.S. Senate candidates. Hosted by NPR News on Friday, the showdown came just 18 days before the midterms.
Tafoya had previously appeared for a KSTP debate that Flanagan did not attend.
Flanagan focused on President Donald Trump, attacking Tafoya for having received Trump’s endorsement earlier in the week. Trump lost Minnesota in 2024, and the endorsement could prove more of a liability than an asset for Tafoya.
Tafoya responded, “Look, this campaign is about bringing all Minnesotans together, whether they voted for President Trump or whether they voted for Kamala.” Tafoya used the exchange to emphasize that her campaign is seeking support beyond traditional Republican voters.
Tafoya entered the race after a career in sports broadcasting and is making her first run for public office, while Flanagan has spent roughly two decades in public service. That contrast in political experience became part of a broader debate over bipartisanship and whether either candidate would be willing to stand up to their party.
Tafoya said the first thing she would do upon arriving in Washington would be to knock on the doors of the other 99 senators, arguing that it would take a bipartisan effort to address the current issues of the country. Tafoya questioned Flanagan’s own record of bipartisanship, accusing her opponent of never reaching across the aisle and questioning when she had stood up to Gov. Tim Walz or disagreed with her party in the past.
The debate then turned to crime, fraud, and public safety, another area where Tafoya sought to make Flanagan’s record in Minnesota an issue.