Walz's lieutenant governor and progressive Senate hopeful slammed for leadership amid Somali fraud crisis
Minnesota Lt. Gov. and progressive Democratic Senate candidate Peggy Flanagan is taking criticism, including from inside her own party, for her leadership during what has been described as the nation's...
By Fox News · Fox News
Minnesota Lt. Gov. and progressive Democratic Senate candidate Peggy Flanagan is taking criticism, including from inside her own party, for her leadership during what has been described as the nation's largest COVID-era fraud scheme . Along with Democrat Gov. Tim Walz , Flanagan, who has helped lead the state as lieutenant governor since 2019, has come under fire for allowing the fraud scheme to grow during her watch. A Minnesota Democratic operative told Fox News Digital that Flanagan "could absolutely lose to a Republican given all the fraud that took place during her time as Lt. Governor." "Today is the day Peggy's Senate race effectively ended," said the Democratic operative. FRAUD FALLOUT FORCES DEMOCRATIC GOV. TIM WALZ TO ABANDON MINNESOTA RE-ELECTION BID "Here are the facts: Peggy Flanagan was already a bad general election candidate, and this has made it even worse," the operative went on, adding, "she owes the voters answers about what she knew and when." House Majority Whip Tom Emmer , R-Minn., whose district includes the Twin Cities suburbs, told Fox News Digital that "Peggy Flanagan is just as much of a failure as Tim Walz." He noted that Flanagan’s primary opponent, Democratic Rep. Angie Craig, "isn’t much better." "Both of these candidates sat idly by while billions were stolen from hardworking taxpayers in Minnesota. And just like Tim, they ought to reconsider their candidacy," said Emmer. Walz, who served as former Vice President Kamala Harris ’ running mate in 2024, announced on Monday that he was withdrawing from seeking a third term as governor in light of the fraud scandal. "As I reflected on this moment with my family and my team over the holidays, I came to the conclusion that I can’t give a political campaign my all," Walz wrote in a statement. "Every minute I spend defending my own political interests would be a minute I can’t spend defending the people of Minnesota against the criminals who prey on our generosity and the cynics who prey on…