Progressive Democrat Peggy Flanagan defeats AIPAC-backed Angie Craig in Minnesota Senate primary
Minnesota Democrats chose the state’s Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan as their nominee to the US Senate on Tuesday, according to US media projections.
Flanagan, a progressive, will face off against Republican nominee and sports broadcaster Michele Tafoya in the November general election for the seat left open by the retirement of Democratic senator Tina Smith.
A pair of Democratic primaries in Minnesota on Tuesday were among a string of high-profile battles between progressive and moderate candidates, where Israel and the pro-Israel lobby serve as key wedge issues.
The state’s highest-profile race was the US Senate primary between Rep. Angie Craig, who has been endorsed by the pro-Israel lobbying group AIPAC, and Lieutenant Gov. Peggy Flanagan, who said she would reject AIPAC’s money and accuses Israel of committing genocide.
The race, and the candidates’ sparring over AIPAC, comes as the lobby and Israel under the leadership of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have become increasingly unpopular among Democratic voters. Israel is also an issue in the Democratic gubernatorial primary in neighboring Wisconsin taking place on Tuesday.
Flanagan has referred to Craig as “AIPAC’s candidate” in the Senate race, which prompted Craig to distance herself from the group’s spending during a TV debate in June.
