What to know about US primary election in Minnesota

SaveSharefacebookxwhatsapp-strokecopylink'ICE out' protesters in St. Paul, Minnesota, Jan. 19, 2026, [Angelina Katsanis/AP]By Al Jazeera Staff and The Associated PressPublished On 11 Aug 202611 Aug 2026Minnesota Democrats will decide a competitive US Senate primary in another face-off between moderate and progressive candidates that could define the party’s identity heading into the midterm elections.Immigration has emerged as a defining issue in the Democratic primary election on Tuesday in the Midwestern state of Minnesota for the United States Senate, as establishment-backed Representative Angie Craig and more leftist Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan offer competing visions for how Democrats should respond to US President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3US Justice Department accuses 15 Minnesota activists of ‘antifa’ activitieslist 2 of 3US judge blocks Trump administration subpoena against Minnesota officialslist 3 of 3Nine deaths tied to Trump’s immigration enforcement operations in USend of listCraig, who has a record of winning competitive races, has faced criticism after voting for a law that was part of Trump’s crackdown. She has since said she regrets the vote.Flanagan has drawn support from prominent progressive Democrats, including Representative Ilhan Omar, who endorsed her campaign. Omar is also running to retain her House seat in District 5.From late 2025 through early 2026, federal immigration agents were stationed throughout Minneapolis as part of a Trump administration deportation campaign. The operation drew demonstrators, causing clashes with city residents. In January, Renee Good and Alex Pretti were fatally shot by federal officers, provoking a nationwide backlash to the administration’s immigration policies. Craig and Flanagan have slammed the Trump administration for the operation in the state. In Congress, Craig introduced articles of impeachment against then-US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.When do the polls in Minnesota open and close?Polls are open from 7am CT (12pm GMT) and close at 8pm CT (1am GMT).Who is running for Tina Smith’s Senate seat?Craig and Flanagan are competing for the Democratic nomination in an open-seat race after Senator Tina Smith announced she would not seek re-election. Smith is backing Flanagan.Craig flipped a Republican-held congressional seat in 2018, and every two years she overcame millions of dollars of attack ads to win tough re-election campaigns. Craig was one of the House Democrats to call for then-US President Joe Biden to drop out of the 2024 race after his debate against Trump. Craig’s key supporters are Minnesota First Lady Gwen Walz, House Democratic Leader, Hakeem Jeffries, former House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, and former US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.But opponents criticise Craig and nearly 60 other Democrats in the House and Senate who voted in support of the Laken Riley Act in 2025, Trump’s bill that requires federal authorities to detain migrants who face charges of theft and violent crimes. She has walked back her support of that bill and has defended her record as a Democrat.“I consider myself a progressive,” she told reporters after an event on Saturday. “Every race that I run, Republicans run ads against me saying I vote with Democrats 96, 97 percent of the time.”“My primary opponent voted for Donald Trump’s immigration bill and was the only Minnesota Democrat to do so,” Flanagan told volunteers in St. Paul on Saturday. “She since then has said that she regrets that vote and I’m glad. But it shouldn’t have taken 14 months.”“We can stand with the immigrant community and not just when it’s politically expedient for us,” Flanagan added.Like Abdul El-Sayed, who won last week’s Democratic Senate primary in Michigan, Flanagan supports Medicare for All and wants to curtail US military support for Israel. Flanagan also has support from key figures in the party’s progressive wing, including Senators Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Bernie Sanders of Vermont.The Republican primary features nine candidates, including former sports broadcaster Michele Tafoya; former Navy SEAL Adam Schwarze, who has the state party’s endorsement; and former professional basketball player Royce White, who was the Republican nominee for the state’s other US Senate seat in 2024. Trump has not endorsed a candidate.Who is running against Ilhan Omar?US Rep. Ilhan Omar has four challengers in District 5: Julie Le, Abena McKenzie, Latonya Reeves and Nate Schluter. Omar secured the Democratic Party endorsement in May.Who is running to replace Tim Walz?Governor Tim Walz is not seeking another term and both parties are competing for an open governor’s office. On the Democratic side, US Senator Amy Klobuchar, is expected to win the nomination for the party.On the Republican side, the top contenders include Trump-endorsed Mike Lindell, state House Speaker Lisa Demuth and Kendall Qualls, who has the endorsement of the state GOP.Minnesota hasn’t elected a Republican governor in over a decade.Why is Minnesota’s governor race important?Trump has repeatedly criticised outgoing Walz, the 2024 Democratic nominee for Vice President, portraying his administration as incompetent regarding allegations of widespread fraud involving federal childcare funds. Legislators, community groups and political organisations have labelled Trump’s statements as racist.