Primary elections 2026 live updates: Sen. Amy Klobuchar wins Democratic nomination for governor in Minnesota

Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan defeated Rep. Angie Craig (D-Minn.) Tuesday in the Minnesota Democratic Senate primary – the latest test of whether the electorate is moving further to the left or toward the center ahead of the critical midterm elections.   

Flanagan had 58.8% of the Democratic primary vote compared to Craig’s 39.7% when the Associated Press called the race at 11:27 pm. ET.

Flanagan, who has served as embattled Gov. Tim Walz’s No. 2 since 2019, campaigned on many of the same progressive priorities that propelled Abdul El-Sayed to victory in his Senate primary in Michigan, including “Medicare for all,” ending US aid to Israel over the “genocide” in Gaza and getting “Big Money out of our politics.” 

She has also vowed to “rip ICE apart” in response to President Trump’s immigration crackdown in Minnesota, which resulted in the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal law enforcement officers, sparking outrage in the state. 

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State House Speaker Lisa Demuth and Sen. Amy Klobuchar emerged victorious Tuesday in their respective Minnesota gubernatorial primaries and will face off in the fall general election to replace outgoing Gov. Tim Walz.

Demuth trounced MyPillow founder Mike Lindell and Army veteran and businessman Kendall Qualls in the crowded GOP primary field, leading by more than 15 percentage points when the race was called.  

Lindell, who was endorsed by President Trump in July, appeared on track to finish a disappointing second in the race.

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State House Speaker Lisa Demuth, who currently leads My Pillow founder Mike Lindell by double digits in the Minnesota Republican gubernatorial primary, touted her legislative experience Tuesday when asked about not getting President Trump’s endorsement in the race. 

“I’ve had the opportunity of serving as speaker of the House for the last two years, and I’ve been in the legislature for four terms. That experience, and what I have learned in that process, has taught me much about how our government operates, where we need to make changes, specifically fraud, putting extra internal controls, and protecting and respecting Minnesota taxpayer dollars,” Demuth said at her election night watch party. 

Trump endorsed Lindell in the race and the Minnesota GOP backed Army veteran and entrepreneur Kendall Qualls. 

Demuth is on track to face off against Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) in the November election. 

“Amy Klobuchar, as a governor, would just be …  2.0. Tim Walz,” she said.

Demuth charged that the longtime senator “has never protected our taxpayer dollars.” 

“Not once did she talk about fraud until she started running for governor,” Demuth said. “Her eyes have been on either being president or working in Washington.”

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy’s son-in-law won a Republican primary race for a House seat in Wisconsin on Tuesday night.

Michael Alfonso, 26, won the nomination for the Badger State’s 7th Congressional District when the race was called a little after 10:15 p.m. ET by the Associated Press.

President Trump had also endorsed Alfonso, who is married to Duffy’s daughter.

Democratic socialist candidate Francesca Hong is trailing moderate David Crowley in the Wisconsin governor’s primary race for their party more than an hour and a half after polls closed Tuesday.

With 73% of the vote in, Crowley is ahead by more than 3,000 votes, according to the Associated Press.

Surveys leading up to the contest in the Badger State had projected a landslide win for Hong.

Rep. John Larson (D-Conn.), who has served in the House of Representatives since 1999, lost the Democratic primary in Connecticut’s 1st District Tuesday to challenger 32 years his junior. 

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Larson, 78, was defeated by former Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin, who led the incumbent by nearly 20 percentage points in the solidly blue district when the race was called. 

Bronin, a 46-year-old lawyer and US Navy Reserve officer, received a monumental boost in May after he secured the endorsement of the Connecticut Democratic Party. 

The achievement marked the first time a non-incumbent has been endorsed by the party. 

“There is this feeling of getting prepared and ready for the next generation of leadership,” Jimmy Tickey, vice chairman of the Connecticut Democratic Party, said at the time. 

Larson faced mounting concerns about his health and age after a frightening incident on the House floor last year, in which the congressman stalled and seemingly froze while delivering a speech.  

His office said Larson suffered a complex partial seizure. 

Former sportscaster Michele Tafoya cruised to victory Tuesday in the Minnesota Republican Senate primary. 

The four-time Emmy Award-winning sports journalist entered the GOP primary after incumbent Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minn.) announced she wouldn’t be seeking a second term last February.

Tafoya, who roamed NFL sidelines for more than a decade as a reporter for ABC and ESPN “Monday Night Football,” and later NBC’s “Sunday Night Football,” campaigned as a political outsider who can flip Smith’s Senate seat and bring “common sense” to Washington.   

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Sen. Amy Klobuchar cruised to victory Tuesday in Minnesota’s Democratic gubernatorial primary.

Klobuchar (D-Minn.), who has represented the Land of 10,000 Lakes in the US Senate since 2007, easily overcame six other candidates after a roster of political heavyweights — including state Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, AG Keith Ellison and Klobuchar’s colleague Tina Smith — opted not to seek the governorship.

The 66-year-old announced her candidacy in late January, weeks after Gov. Tim Walz announced he would not seek a third term amid a massive benefit fraud scandal that has made the state a target of the Trump administration.

Klobuchar, who secured more than 89% of the vote in the primary, is a heavy favorite to win the general election in November/

She ran for president in 2020 before ending her campaign and endorsing Joe Biden.

Rep. Tom Tiffany has won the Republican gubernatorial nomination in Wisconsin.

Tiffany (R-Wis.) received more than 96% of the vote when the race was called at 9:21 p.m. ET by the Associated Press.

He will face off against either socialist state representative Francesca Hong or Milwaukee County executive David Crowley in November.

Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC) advanced to the South Carolina GOP Senate primary on Tuesday.

The sister of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, Darline Graham, received the highest share of the primary vote at 32.6%.

Norman nabbed 24% of the GOP primary vote.

Both he and Darline Graham will advance to an Aug. 25 runoff election.

Polls closed at 9 p.m. ET in Wisconsin and Minnesota, where centrist Democrats are battling with far-left candidates for key races.

Democratic socialist Francesca Hong is up against Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley (D), who has the backing of retiring Gov. Tony Evers (D) to become the next governor in Wisconsin. The race is the latest proxy battle between the DSA wing of the party and more moderate candidates.

In Minnesota, Democrats will choose a nominee to succeed retiring Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minn.). The race is between Rep. Angie Craig (D-Minn.) and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, who is backed by prominent progressives such as Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).

Former NFL sideline reporter Michelle Tafoya is a top contender in the GOP primary field to be the US Senate nominee.

Gov. Ned Lamont, 72, quickly fended off a primary challenge from Josh Elliott, 41, the deputy speaker of the Connecticut state house.

The Associated Press called the race for Lamont at 8:19 pm EDT, shortly after the polls closed. He led with 67% support from Democratic primary voters to Elliott’s 33%.

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Lamont is seeking a rare third term as governor.