Peggy Flanagan wins Senate primary in Minnesota, notching another victory for progressive Democrats

Peggy Flanagan, the current Minnesota lieutenant governor, has secured the Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) primary for the US Senate, advancing her prospects for representing Minnesota in Washington. Having announced her Senate bid in early 2025, Flanagan's primary victory has sparked public curiosity about her financial background and family life.

While Flanagan's personal net worth remains undisclosed, her campaign finances are available through the Federal Election Commission (FEC). From January 1, 2025, to July 22, 2016, she amassed $6.52 million in total campaign receipts. More than $6.25 million of these funds came from individual contributions, while the campaign spent roughly $5.46 million during the same period. The remaining $1 million in cash after expenditures indicates Flanagan's readiness for the general election campaign.

Prior to her Senate campaign, Flanagan held various positions, including serving as Minnesota's lieutenant governor alongside Governor Tim Walz, representing the Minneapolis area in the Minnesota House of Representatives, and working as an organizer focused on education and Native American advocacy. Born into the White Earth Band of Ojibwe, Flanagan emphasizes the impact of her family and Indigenous heritage on her political career.

Raised by her single mother, Patricia Flanagan, in St. Louis Park, she credits her mother for instilling her commitment to public service and education.

Flanagan married Tim Hellendrung in 2017 after a divorce, and subsequently began a relationship with former Minnesota Public Radio Host Tom Weber in 2018. The couple married in 2019 and reside in St. Louis Park with their 13-year-old daughter Siobhan. Flanagan has a rich political history, having served on the Minneapolis Board of Education from 2005 to 2009 and spent nearly a decade working for Wellstone Action, a group dedicated to carrying on Senator Paul Wellstone's legacy.

As the executive director of Children's Defense Fund - Minnesota, Flanagan has advocated for children's rights and worked to level the playing field for all children in the state.