Democrats Stunned - Early Voting Results Released In Minnesota
Republican Michele Tafoya is making Minnesota’s fraud scandal and public safety record central issues in her Senate campaign against Democratic Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan.
The two clashed during a debate last week, when Tafoya challenged Flanagan’s expressions of concern about Medicaid and SNAP.
“This historic fraud happened under her watch, and suddenly, she’s looking out for Medicaid and SNAP?” Tafoya asked.
“Sell it to someone else, Peggy,” she added.
Tafoya’s argument puts the spotlight on government oversight: how safeguards failed, whether officials received warnings, and what they did to protect taxpayer funds. Fraud can also undermine public confidence in programs intended to help vulnerable residents.
In a Fox News opinion column, Hugh Hewitt praised Tafoya’s debate performance, calling the former NFL broadcaster American politics’ “rookie of the year.” He predicted she could pull off a major upset, while acknowledging that she is not leading the race. That is a political forecast, not evidence that a victory is assured.
Hewitt cited a federal prosecutor’s estimate that fraud involving Minnesota spending could reach as much as $9 billion. That figure remains an estimate: the Associated Press reported that Minnesota’s Medicaid director said the state had no evidence substantiating the high-end projection.
🚨 MUST WATCH: Peggy Flanagan had to be asked TWICE if she takes any responsibility over the fraud—and refused to do so.
— Dustin Grage (@GrageDustin) October 16, 2026
Michele Tafoya absolutely destroys her response. pic.twitter.com/o4eBJe3Gb0
The Cook Political Report shifted its rating of Minnesota’s U.S. Senate race toward Republicans, another sign that a contest Democrats once expected to win comfortably has become increasingly competitive in the closing weeks of the campaign. https://t.co/hT4SDaxalH
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) October 21, 2026
Flanagan served alongside Gov. Tim Walz, whose administration has faced scrutiny over the scandal. During the debate, Flanagan pointed to Walz’s oversight role and said her own responsibilities covered narrower programs, according to The Washington Post. Hewitt argues that the scandal has damaged the state’s Democratic leadership and could weigh on Flanagan’s Senate bid.
Public safety has also entered the campaign conversation after a shooting at an October 2 homecoming football game at Eden Prairie High School. The game was canceled, crowds were evacuated and two youths were wounded. Police described the shooting as gang-related.
Hewitt wrote that Tafoya pointed to the release on bond of people arrested in connection with the incident. The alleged gunman and others charged in the case were released after posting bond, according to local reporting. Those releases reflect court decisions; the charges remain allegations, not findings of guilt.
Hewitt characterized the confrontation as gang violence involving Somali-American youths. He also speculated that dissatisfaction with Minnesota’s political establishment could produce an anti-establishment vote beyond Minneapolis, a possibility he presented as conjecture rather than a measured trend.
The columnist further criticized Flanagan for describing Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza as “genocide.”
For Tafoya, the challenge is to turn concerns about public spending and safety into a broader argument about Democratic leadership—and to unite Republicans behind her. Flanagan has defended her role in the state’s response to the fraud, and Tafoya still faces a competitive race. The campaign’s central question is whether voters will hold the state’s leadership responsible for its record.