Minnesota Primary Election Results — August 12, 2026

At a Glance

• Notably, progressives prevailed in a number of DFL primaries for federal and state office, following recent trends in New York, Colorado, and Michigan. 
• The Michele Tafoya–Peggy Flanagan contest is expected to be one of the more competitive US Senate races in the country.
• In the Second Congressional District, DFL candidate Matt Little will face off against Republican State Senator Eric Pratt for a seat that could play a role in determining control of the US House of Representatives.

Minnesota voters went to the polls Tuesday, August 11, 2026, in a series of closely watched primary elections that will shape the state's political landscape heading into November. Key contests for governor, United States Senate, a key United States House seat, a handful of competitive Minnesota Senate districts, and the nonpartisan Hennepin County Attorney's race drew significant attention from both major parties. Voter turnout was notably high, with strong participation both through mail-in balloting in the weeks leading up to the election and at polling places on Election Day. With results now in, the matchups between Republican and Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) candidates for the general election are substantially clearer; and stakeholders across the state can begin to assess the policy and regulatory implications of the November ballot. Notably, progressives prevailed in a number of DFL primaries for federal and state office, following recent trends in New York, Colorado, and Michigan.

In the race to replace Governor Tim Walz, who decided against running for a third term earlier this year, US Senator Amy Klobuchar easily won the DFL nomination for governor, marking her transition from federal to state-level politics and positioning her as the favorite heading into the fall based on recent polling. On the Republican side, current House Speaker Lisa Demuth won the Republican primary, beating Mike Lindell and Republican-endorsed perennial candidate Kendall Qualls. Lindell had surged in recent polling after securing the endorsement of Donald Trump. The Klobuchar-Demuth general election contest will present voters with a stark contrast in style and policy priorities; and businesses and organizations operating in Minnesota should anticipate that regulatory, tax, and workforce policy proposals will feature prominently in the campaign.

In the US Senate race, the primaries produced the expected frontrunners. On the Republican side, Michele Tafoya easily won her primary against Adam Schwarze, the Republican-endorsed candidate, and a number of other challengers to secure the party's nomination; while current Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan won the DFL primary, defeating current Second District US Representative Angie Craig. Flanagan was considered the more progressive candidate in the race. The Tafoya-Flanagan contest is expected to be one of the more competitive Senate races in the country this cycle, with both candidates bringing strong name recognition and established bases of support.

One of the most closely watched primaries was the DFL primary in the Second Congressional District, where the results set the stage for another competitive general election in a swing district that has drawn national attention in recent cycles. On the DFL side, former state senator and DFL-endorsed candidate Matt Little defeated both current State Senator Matt Klein and current State Representative Kaela Berg to win the DFL primary. Little was considered the more progressive candidate in the race. Little will now face off against current State Senator Eric Pratt, the Republican nominee, in November for a seat that could play a role in determining control of the US House of Representatives.

Several Minnesota Senate races also produced significant primary results impacting the composition of the Minnesota Senate next session. Notable results include:

• Senate District 46 (St. Louis Park, Hopkins, portions of Edina): Six-term State Senator Ron Latz, the current chair of the Senate Judiciary and Public Safety Committee, won his DFL primary against former St. Louis Park City Council member Lynette Dumalag. Dumalag ran as the more progressive candidate and secured the backing of both incumbent DFL House members in the district. Senator Latz was the chief author last session of sweeping gun control legislation that passed the State Senate in the aftermath of the shooting at Annunciation School in August 2025.
• Senate District 38 (Brooklyn Park, Brooklyn Center, Osseo): First-term Senator Susan Pha won her DFL primary, surviving a challenge from community activist Nehemiah Garley.
• Senate District 13 (Sartell, Albany, part of Sauk Rapids): In the Republican primary to replace retiring Senator Jeff Howe, Aaron Brutger, the Republican-endorsed candidate, lost to challenger Jared Gapinski, who had been endorsed by Howe. This is a safe Republican seat.
• Senate District 5 (north and west central Minnesota): Third-term State Senator Paul Utke lost a Republican primary challenge from party-endorsed State Representative Mike Wiener.

Finally, the nonpartisan primary for Hennepin County Attorney advanced the top-two vote-getters to the general election: Cedrick Frazier, the DFL-endorsed candidate and current chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, and Anders Folk, a former federal prosecutor and acting US Attorney for Minnesota. As the chief prosecutor for the state's most populous county, the Hennepin County Attorney wields significant authority over criminal enforcement priorities, diversion programs, and public safety policy. Frazier and Folk will now face off in November.