Minnesota and Wisconsin primaries test Democratic progressive wing

A series of closely watched primaries across the Upper Midwest delivered key victories for the Democratic Party’s progressive wing Tuesday night — with one major test still hanging in the balance in battleground Wisconsin.

Minnesota was among the clearest signs of progressive strength, with Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan winning the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by retiring Sen. Tina Smith, while progressive “Squad” member Rep. Ilhan Omar secured another primary victory in her overwhelmingly blue Minneapolis-area district.

Flanagan defeated Rep. Angie Craig in a closely watched clash between the party’s progressive and establishment wings. Flanagan drew support from prominent figures on the left, while Craig had the backing of several leading establishment Democrats.

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Meanwhile, progressive “Squad” member Rep. Ilhan Omar won the Democratic primary in Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District, securing another victory for one of the most prominent members of the House’s progressive wing.

Omar’s win adds to a string of primary victories for the congresswoman, who has previously survived well-funded efforts to oust her.

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But the biggest remaining question of the night is in Wisconsin, where Democratic voters are still waiting to learn who will carry the party’s banner in the race to succeed outgoing Gov. Tony Evers.

State Rep. Francesca Hong, a democratic socialist, is seeking to extend the progressive left’s string of victories in one of the nation’s most closely divided battleground states, where Democrats are fighting to keep control of the governor’s mansion.

Hong, a 37-year-old former chef and single mother, has drawn backing from nationally known progressives, including Reps. Omar and Ro Khanna of California.

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She is running on a platform that includes raising Wisconsin’s minimum wage from $7.25 to $20 an hour, guaranteed paid leave and a one-year moratorium on new AI data centers.

Hong has also faced scrutiny over years-old social media posts calling for defunding and abolishing the police, positions she now says she no longer supports.

With most of Tuesday’s marquee contests decided, Wisconsin stands as the night’s biggest remaining test of whether the progressive left can carry its momentum into one of the nation’s premier battleground states.