Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate, described herself as capable of bipartisan work during a Fox News interview Sunday but did not identify a specific policy area where she would cooperate with President Donald Trump. Asked by Fox News correspondent Bill Melugin whether she could envision working with Trump on any issue, Flanagan instead criticized his administration and said voters wanted a senator who would serve as a check on him.
Flanagan pointed to her work with the Children’s Defense Fund-Minnesota and her experience in the state Legislature, where she served during a Republican majority and helped pass legislation with bipartisan support. She said those experiences demonstrated that she could work with members of the opposing party.
But when addressing the president specifically, Flanagan said she was concerned about what she characterized as continued self-enrichment by the administration. She said she would begin by seeking to reverse cuts and other effects she described as damaging to Minnesota. The source report does not identify a particular measure she said she would pursue with Trump’s cooperation.
The exchange reflects a central contrast in the campaign. Flanagan has presented herself as an opponent of Trump’s agenda and has called for dismantling Immigration and Customs Enforcement, adopting Medicare for All and reversing cuts to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. She has also accused Trump of using the presidency for personal financial gain.
Republican nominee Michele Tafoya, a former NFL sideline reporter, has criticized Flanagan over a major fraud scandal that developed during the administration of Gov. Tim Walz. Flanagan served as Walz’s lieutenant governor. Tafoya argues Flanagan should share responsibility for the scandal, while also criticizing her positions on health care and immigration enforcement. The provided material does not give details about the fraud cases or establish Flanagan’s direct role in them.
Tafoya has also sought to distinguish herself from Trump. In a campaign advertisement, she described herself as a pro-choice Republican and said she would work with Trump when she agreed with him and oppose him when she did not. The advertisement drew criticism from some Republicans, including Mercedes Schlapp, identified in the source as a senior fellow at the Conservative Political Action Conference. Trump later voiced support for Tafoya at an Ohio rally, urging voters to back her.
Flanagan has, in turn, tied Tafoya to the president, saying in a social media post last month that Tafoya was firmly aligned with him. The report says Trump’s approval ratings in Minnesota are substantially underwater but supplies no polling figures.
The contest has drawn increased attention after Tafoya narrowed the gap, according to the source. Fox News changed its rating of the race from “Likely Democrat” to “Lean Democrat.” Tafoya told Fox News Digital that voters were learning about her and what she characterized as Flanagan’s shortcomings during her years serving alongside Walz. She argued Minnesota needed change and an independent-minded senator. The material does not provide polling data or specify the size of the change in the race.
