Minnesota’s Senate race could be Republicans’ November surprise 

Republicans were smart to make welfare fraud a central issue in the midterm elections. How do I know? Because Michele Tafoya (R) could well become the first Republican senator from Minnesota since Norm Coleman left office in 2009. She is running on bringing much-needed accountability to the state’s scandal-ridden benefits programs.  

This is huge, and unexpected. 

“Unexpected” has long been the hallmark of Minnesota politics. Coleman became mayor of St. Paul in 1993 campaigning as a Democrat; he switched parties three years later to run as a Republican for the governorship but lost to pro wrestler Jesse Ventura. He finally won a Senate seat in 2002 but was then ousted by comedian Al Franken (D) in the blue wave presidential election of 2008. Clearly, almost anything can happen in the Gopher State.

Right now, Tafoya is trailing the Democratic nominee, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan (D) by less than 2 points in the RealClearPolitics average of polls — within the margin of error. The sleeper race could absolutely determine which party ends up in control of the Senate.  

Tafoya fits comfortably with Minnesota’s history of unorthodox candidates. She is a well-known broadcaster and commentator, having won four Sports Emmy Awards and set records for covering five Super Bowls and 327 NFL games, the “most national primetime games of any sideline reporter in league history,” according to her website. Her official bio quotes the San Francisco Chronicle famously calling her “widely recognized as the best sideline reporter in sports.”

Tafoya is attractive, smart and articulate, but she has never held political office. If covering sports is about highlighting who is playing by the rules, she is the perfect person to challenge Flanagan, who has served as Governor Tim Walz’s lieutenant since 2019.

Flanagan,........

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