EAGAN, Minn. – Four-term Minnesota Congress member Angie Craig declared her candidacy to succeed Tina Smith in the U.S. Senate. Smith is retiring. Craig, age 53, said her candidacy means she is giving up the possibility of a fifth term in the House. Craig’s Senate intentions put her in a three-way race for the Democratic nomination against Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan and former state Senate Minority Leader Melisa López-Franzen. A theme in Craig’s script: “Fight.” She played up personal grit:
“I know what it’s like to be knocked down and counted out, to be the underdog. I grew up in a mobile home park — raised by a single mom. Nobody gave us much of a chance.”
Background in journalism, business
Craig is a former Tennessee news reporter. Later she was a communications executive with St. Jude’s Medical in St. Paul. She was the first gay person elected to represent Minnesota in Congress and she was the first lesbian mother to serve in Congress. She expressed pride in the four sons, all adults now, who she raised with her wife Cheryl.
Underscores her Trump opposition
Craig starts her campaign with a substantial war chest — $1 million, nearly three times more than Flanagan. Craig has positioned herself firmly against policies of the Trump presidency. She criticized Trump for “a slash-and-burn approach.” About the Republicans who control Congress, she called them “cowardly” and “rolling over and letting it all happen.” She said:
“I’m going to be in the middle of the fight against Medicaid cuts, in the middle of the fight to preserve Social Security in our country, in the middle of the fight to take on a lot of the chaos we’re seeing. Donald Trump and Elon Musk are literally trying to burn our government to the ground, instead. If we’re going to save this democracy, we’ve got to work to really change our campaign finance laws in this country. We’ve got to take on the corruption that Donald Trump and congressional Republicans are sitting back and allowing to happen.
Craig. She launched her campaign with a powerful video of her at the wheel of a black and unmistakably macho Jeep Wrangler. Dressed in a jeans jacket, she charges dramatically and bravely if not a tad recklessly through woods and streams and the streets of Washington.
Republican field
The former professional basketball player Royce White announced his candidacy for Tina Smith’s Senate seat in 2024 after losing a bid to unseat Amy Klobuchar, the state’s junior senator, by 16 points. Also announced are lesser knowns:
> Adam Schwarze, a U.S. Navy veteran.
> Raymond Petersen, a U.S. Navy veteran.
> Mike Ruoho, who hasn’t filed biographical information.
Political calendar
Minnesota Democrats will hold a nominating convention in May or June of 2026. If necessary, a primary election would follow in August.
MN-2 vacancy
The Craig candidacy for the U.S. Senate opens up the state’s MN-2 seat. Craig has been elected and re-elected since 2018. The district includes South St. Paul, Eagan and Northfield. MN-2 has become a mixed competitive district in recent elections.