2026 Minnesota Senatorial race: debates and news coverage


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OnTheIssues.org excerpts:  (click on issues for details)

Abortion     David Hann: State has the most extreme abortion bill in the world.     Michele Tafoya: I'm not going to BS you; I'm a pro-choice Republican.     Michele Tafoya: Taken a lot of heat for being a pro-choice Republican.     Peggy Flanagan: Can’t be aligned with Trump and call yourself pro-choice.     Tina Smith: Stop Comstock Act from preventing mailing abortion material.

Budget & Economy     David Hann: Fraud, waste and abuse raise taxes and fuel inflation.

Civil Rights     Michele Tafoya: Keep men out of women's sports and locker rooms.     Peggy Flanagan: Helped found People of Color and Indigenous Caucus.     Peggy Flanagan: Fight discrimination against the LGBTQ2S+ community.

Crime     Michele Tafoya: Will fight for tougher penalties, safer neighborhoods.     Angie Craig: Double fines for fraud related to child nutrition programs.

Drugs     Angie Craig: Wasted hundred of billions enforcing antiquated drug laws.     Angie Craig: Hold social media companies accountable for drug sales.     Tina Smith: Remove marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act.

Education     David Hann: Spent billions on education; it's gotten worse.     Michele Tafoya: Restore parents' say in schools, increase transparency.

Energy & Oil     Royce White: We pay a price for not being energy independent.     Michele Tafoya: Supports all-of-the-above affordable energy.     Royce White: Energy security helps our nation function more reliably.     Peggy Flanagan: Supports clean energy solutions like wind and solar.

Environment     Angie Craig: EPA should update standards for homegrown biofuels.     Peggy Flanagan: Hold companies accountable for environmental standards.

Families & Children     Angie Craig: First openly LGBTQ mother and grandmother in Congress.     Royce White: Educated women are more likely to divorce men.     Peggy Flanagan: Proud state enacted free meals for school children.

Foreign Policy     Angie Craig: I will work to strengthen our relationship with Israel.     Peggy Flanagan: Rebuild ties with NATO allies, support Ukraine.     Michele Tafoya: Trump missed the mark on diesel purchase from Russia.     Peggy Flanagan: We should not be working with dictators like Putin.     Tina Smith: Voted for partial arms embargo on Israel.     David Hann: Praises capture of Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro.

Free Trade     Angie Craig: Tariffs are killing my bean and corn producers right now.     Tina Smith: Farmers worried about losing their access to markets.     Michele Tafoya: Don't get into hypotheticals on legality of tariffs.     Peggy Flanagan: Reverse the damage caused by Trump's tariffs.     Michele Tafoya: We lowered trade barriers; other countries raised them.     Peggy Flanagan: These tariffs are skyrocketing costs, except steel tariff.

Government Reform     Angie Craig: Require carbon monoxide detectors in every hotel room.     Royce White: Supports single-day; paper ballot; personal ID requirement .     Michele Tafoya: Protect democracy with voter ID and paper ballots.     Peggy Flanagan: Campaign is powered by people, not corporate checks.     Royce White: Go to a single-day, paper ballot, personal ID requirement.

Gun Control     Royce White: 2nd amendment safeguards the freedoms of citizens.     Royce White: Never infringe on 2nd Amendment; it safeguards freedoms.     Peggy Flanagan: First time gun owner, supports common sense gun laws.

Health Care     Peggy Flanagan: Healthcare is a human right, will fight for Medicare for All.     Michele Tafoya: Don't hand healthcare to faceless government bureaucrats.     Michele Tafoya: We’re subsidizing Obamacare because it is broken.     Peggy Flanagan: I support Medicare for All, so people get healthcare.

Homeland Security     Angie Craig: Strengthen the benefits we owe our servicemembers.     Peggy Flanagan: Deliver robust, accessible, and quality care for veterans.     Michele Tafoya: Calling Gaza a genocide is a misrepresentation.     Peggy Flanagan: Two-state solution but no military aid to Netanyahu.

Immigration     Michele Tafoya: Any immigrant convicted of fraud must be deported.     Michele Tafoya: Fight tooth and nail against campaign to abolish ICE.     David Hann: Encourage constructive immigration, not criminal activity.     Michele Tafoya: We should be a nation of immigration AND law and order.     Peggy Flanagan: Rip apart ICE; replace with pathway to citizenship.

Jobs     Angie Craig: Reintroduced Protecting the Right to Organize Act.     Michele Tafoya: Women can play a broad range of roles in the NFL universe.

Principles & Values     Royce White: What's wrong with taking care of Americans first?     Royce White: We must take a stand for God, Family, and Country.     Michele Tafoya: Four-time Emmy Award-winning sports reporter.     Michele Tafoya: I knew God was leading me in a certain direction.     Peggy Flanagan: Tribal name means 'speaks in a loud and clear voice woman'.     David Hann: Trump makes our country safer, stronger, more prosperous.     Peggy Flanagan: Rightwing backlash for wearing hijab during mosque visit.

Social Security     Angie Craig: We need to keep Medicare and Social Security fully funded.     Peggy Flanagan: Eliminate tax on Social Security; expand income cap.     Michele Tafoya: More than one answer on decision on solvency after 2032.     Tina Smith: Allow public servants to get full Social Security payments.     Peggy Flanagan: Raise cap to ensure solvency for next seven decades.

Tax Reform     Royce White: I want to cut taxes for as many Americans as possible.     David Hann: Democrats don't talk tax relief, talk about tax increases.     Michele Tafoya: Make Congress spend less; borrow less; tax less.     Peggy Flanagan: Big Beautiful Bill cuts Medicaid and SNAP.     Michele Tafoya: I want to continue to bring taxes down.

Technology     Royce White: Big tech and social media companies must be broken up.     Peggy Flanagan: We need an independent body that will regulate AI companies.     Michele Tafoya: Local control, not top-down mandates on data centers.

War & Peace     Michele Tafoya: Be patriots about Iran war: maybe one less trip to Starbucks.     Peggy Flanagan: Iran war is costing us financially and also in lives.     Michele Tafoya: Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon.

Welfare & Poverty     Peggy Flanagan: Investigate fraud before canceling Medicaid payments.     Peggy Flanagan: Peggy's childhood home from Section 8 housing voucher.     Michele Tafoya: Why release federal money to states with fraud?

Click for quotations from other sources by: Angie Craig Democratic Challenger Minnesota David Hann Republican Challenger Minnesota Michele Tafoya Republican Challenger Minnesota Peggy Flanagan Democratic Challenger Minnesota Royce White Republican Challenger Minnesota Tina Smith Minnesota Democratic Minnesota Lieutenant Governor