In reliably blue Minnesota, could Democrats do the unthinkable and lose a Senate seat? | Minnesota

Minnesota, long a Democratic stronghold, is suddenly in play for the Senate seat left open by Tina Smiths retirement. Democrat Peggy Flanagan, the states lieutenant governor, is campaigning hard after a primary win, but she faces a surprisingly strong challenge from Republican Michele Tafoya, a former sports broadcaster turned political commentator. Polls show Flanagan ahead by only a few points, and the race has tightened further because of a scandal involving fraud in the states social‑services system, which ties Flanagan to Governor Tim Walzs administration. Walz decided not to run for a third term partly because of that issue, leaving Flanagan to carry the baggage. Tafoya has tried to present herself as a pragmatic, pro‑choice conservative, even breaking with the Trump administration on the Iran war and refusing to say whether she would attend a Trump rally. The Cook Political Report moved the contest from likely Democrat to lean Democrat, a sign of how competitive it has become. Trumps low approval rating in the state and the presence of federal immigration agents have become campaign flashpoints, with Flanagan using them to paint Tafoya as too close to the president. National Republicans have not poured money into the race, indicating they see it as a long shot. Flanagan, who has spent her career in politics, says she always runs as if shes ten points behind, while Tafoya, who has never held office, is trying to appeal to independents and centrists. The outcome could determine whether Democrats keep the seat or if Republicans pull off an upset in a state they havent won statewide since 2006.