What’s at stake in the U.S. Senate and Minnesota Governor’s races
If Democrats are unable to secure a majority in the U.S. Senate following Tuesday’s elections, one of the main culprits could be Minnesota voters. With competitive races for both the Senate and governor, Minnesota could play an outsized role in determining not only the balance of power in Washington but also the political direction of the state for years to come.
Much of the national conversation ahead of the midterm elections has centered on a potential “blue wave,” with the House expected to shift to Democratic control. That talk has extended to the Senate, where Republicans currently hold a 53-45 majority, with two independents caucusing with Democrats.
Thirty-five Senate seats will be decided Tuesday, including the seat being vacated by Sen. Tina Smith. A reliably Democratic seat since 2009, this year’s race between Democratic Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan and Republican Michele Tafoya is polling as a tight contest.
Assuming Democrats take the House, control of the Senate would put the party in a unique position to impose a multitude of constraints on the Trump administration. The most obvious possibilities would include impeachment and removal from office.
Impeachment is the more likely scenario, as the House needs only a simple majority to approve articles of impeachment. Removal requires a two-thirds majority in the Senate, or 67 votes. While there may be one or two Republican defectors, a mass rebuke of President Donald Trump by members of his own party remains unlikely.
Flanagan endured a contentious primary but handily defeated a challenge from Rep. Angie Craig. Tafoya, meanwhile, cruised through her primary with ease. The issue that dogged Flanagan during the primary is the same one Tafoya and Republicans are using against her in the general election: fraud.
Although Flanagan was not the ultimate decision-maker for the state programs facing scrutiny over fraud, including the now-infamous Feeding Our Future scheme led by Aimee Bock, her position as lieutenant governor has not shielded her from political criticism over the scandal.
Tafoya, on the other hand, is a first-time politician with no governing record to scrutinize. Before launching her Senate campaign, Tafoya spent 28 years as a sports journalist with ABC, ESPN and NBC, primarily as a sideline reporter for NFL games. In addition to lacking government experience, Tafoya's critics have sought to tie her directly to Trump, a characterization she has tried to push back against.
In the race for governor, Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar holds a sizable polling lead over Republican candidate Lisa Demuth, the state House speaker. But polls don't always tell the whole story. As recent presidential polling has demonstrated, surveys conducted before an election can sometimes miss the mark significantly.
Klobuchar, a former Hennepin County prosecutor, is considered a more centrist Democrat, although she has been one of the louder voices opposing Trump and his administration. Criticism of Minnesota's senior senator has also centered on her time as a prosecutor. During her tenure, several convictions of Black men have come under scrutiny, including the commutation of Myon Burrell's murder sentence and the vacating of Marvin Haynes' conviction, which fully exonerated him.
If Klobuchar becomes Minnesota's next governor, she would be responsible for appointing her successor to the Senate.
Demuth, like Tafoya, is working to distance herself from Trump, including by opposing his war against Iran. Demuth is campaigning on traditional Republican positions, including tougher crime policies and lower taxes. She is also calling for an overhaul of the state's K-12 education system.
Following the shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church and School, Demuth faced criticism for her decision not to bring a gun reform bill to the full House, despite its passage in the Senate.
If elected, Demuth would become Minnesota's first Black governor.
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