Democrat Peggy Flanagan leads Republican Michele Tafoya in Minnesota poll

Democrat Peggy Flanagan holds a narrow lead over Republican Michele Tafoya in the race for Minnesota's United States Senate seat, according to a new poll. The Minnesota Star Tribune and KARE 11 poll found that 47 percent of surveyed voters supported Flanagan, while 43 percent backed Tafoya. Newsmax, Forbes, and The Hill reported on the findings on October 12, 2026. [1][2][3][4][5]

The survey results published by the Star Tribune and KARE 11 showed that 9 percent of respondents were undecided. The four-point margin positions Flanagan slightly ahead of Tafoya, a former National Football League sideline reporter. Forbes and Newsmax both confirmed that Flanagan maintains a narrow edge in the contest. [1][2][3][4][5][10]

Flanagan currently serves as the lieutenant governor of Minnesota. Tafoya, who worked for NBC Sunday Night Football from 2011 to 2022, graduated from the University of California, Berkeley and the University of Southern California before entering politics. [3][10]

The contest is part of the 2026 United States midterm elections scheduled for November 3, 2026. Voters will elect candidates to 33 United States Senate seats for six-year terms beginning in January 2027. [9][11]