U.S. Senate candidates debate Minnesota fraud

Voters in Minnesota head to the polls Tuesday to pick party nominees to fill Sen. Tina Smith's seat. The primary election has drawn competition from both sides with several candidates. Thirty-three of 100 U.S. Senate seats are up for election in 2026, and Minnesota's race will go toward determining the chamber's partisan makeup. Democrats hold 13 seats up for reelection and Republicans hold 22. Minnesota is one of 11 seats iwhere an incumbent candidate is not running for reelection. Among Democrats, Rep. Angie Craig and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan are leading in the polls among the six candidates. Craig has repeatedly criticized Flanagan for her lack of an aggressive fraud pursuit during her time as lieutenant governor. "The lieutenant governor, even as we sit here today, continues to take absolutely no accountability for any of the fraud issues, and she continues to blame the governor," Craig said in a debate ahead of the primary. Flanagan, the more progressive candidate, criticized Craig's vote for the Laken Riley Act, legislation requiring the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to detain undocumented individuals who have been arrested, charged or convicted of crimes. "Voting three days into the second Trump administration for Donald Trump's immigration bill that allowed him to terrorize our communities, the loss of life, the economic impact, the trauma — it's horrific," Flanagan said in the same debate. Sens. Bernie Sanders, I-VT, and Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Tina Smith, D-Minn., who currently holds the seat, have endorsed Flanagan. Both Democrats said they support plans to achieve universal healthcare. Flanagan supported expanding Medicare whereas Craig voiced support for a public healthcare option to compete with private insurers. "I also believe that folks are ready for Medicare for All. We need to ensure that we're not just paying for health insurance, but that people receive actual healthcare," Flanagan said. Craig introduced the Medicare-X Choice Act in July, legislation that would create a public option for individuals on the Affordable Care Act to be supported. Three Republicans have emerged at the top of the ticket for the party's nomination. Adam Schwarze, a former Navy SEAL; Michele Tafoya, a reporter and sports broadcaster; and Royce White, a former NBA player, are seeking the GOP nomination to flip Smith's seat. Tafoya has focused her campaign on fighting against fraud in Minnesota, which has gained national attention over the past several months. She supported the Deport Fraudsters Act, legislation that would immediately deport a noncitizen convicted of fraud in federal programs. "Michele will fight for tough new mandatory minimum sentences that put fraudsters in federal prison and keep them there," Tafoya's website reads. She also supported pulling federal funds from states that do not implement anti-fraud controls. Schwarze, who was endorsed by the Republican Party of Minnesota, has criticized the state's spending practices and pushed for lower taxes. "Americans have seen the consequences of the far-left's agenda firsthand, including their disastrous open borders policy," Schwarze's website reads. "We need policies that increase the safety of everyone, protect our citizens from drugs and crime, and increase our national security." White, who made waves entering the race as a former NBA player, has focused his campaign on lowering the national debt, securing the southern border and stopping "forever war" conflicts. He also called on implementing 12 year term limits for members of Congress. "As a United States senator, the first bill I hope to bring is one that will limit my own ability to become a career politician," White said. "The term limit should be a maximum of 12 years in either body. The ability to move from or graduate from one body to another is still constrained by the total amount of years and members of that body." Craig leads all other candidates in the race with more than $3.5 million in cash on hand, according to the Federal Elections Commission. Tafoya follows with $1.3 million, and Flanagan has more than $1 million. Additionally, Schwarze has more than $183,000 in cash on hand and White has $35,000. Craig has received more than $43,000 from the Amalgamated Bank; $5,000 from Blackrock Funds Services Group PAC; and $10,000 from the National Corn Growers Association PAC. Tafoya has received $10,000 from the Jobs Opportunity Now PAC and $2,500 from the Salem Media Group PAC. Flanagan received $2,500 from the Dirt Road Democrats PAC; $4,000 from Shannon Finley, a lobbyist at Capitol Counsel LLC; and $3,500 from the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation in California. Schwarze received $1,500 from John Hammond, a partner at Taft Law Firm; $1,700 from Avery Appelman, a criminal trial lawyer; and $1,200 from Daniel Eckerline, an investment banker at Skyview Partners. White received more than $3,000 from Kathleen Hagen, an engineering project manager at Medtronic Polls in Minnesota will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday. For more information, visit the Minnesota Secretary of State at sos.mn.gov. For early results on Election Day, visit thecentersquare.com/minnesota.