MN-Sen 2026: Smith retiring

[Oryxslayer]

If Pete Buttigieg wants to carpetbag for a Senate seat, he should do it in Minnesota instead of Michigan.

Yes, but also I don't think it'll work with Klobuchar in the other chair.

[Existing in the context]

If Pete Buttigieg wants to carpetbag for a Senate seat, he should do it in Minnesota instead of Michigan.

Nah it still better off he stayed in Virginia and see what Warner does.

[Atlas Force]

If Pete Buttigieg wants to carpetbag for a Senate seat, he should do it in Minnesota instead of Michigan.

Yes, but also I don't think it'll work with Klobuchar in the other chair.

https://twitter.com/TheOnion/status/1235644012180180992?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctw...

If Pete Buttigieg wants to carpetbag for a Senate seat, he should do it in Minnesota instead of Michigan.

Nah it still better off he stayed in Virginia and see what Warner does.

Or Connolly

[wbrocks67]

One kind of off the wall name I've heard thrown around is Dean Phillips...I mean you can't really laugh at him now. He could say he's been redeemed with what he said about Biden. He may not be interested because now he's returned to his old life as a super rich guy and he just keep that forever but he really did earn an "I told you so."

He's not redeemed. A broken clock, etc. He was out just in the last 24 hours praising Elon Musk.

[These birds not meant to fly alone]

One kind of off the wall name I've heard thrown around is Dean Phillips...I mean you can't really laugh at him now. He could say he's been redeemed with what he said about Biden. He may not be interested because now he's returned to his old life as a super rich guy and he just keep that forever but he really did earn an "I told you so."

He was under the "Declined" section on Wikipedia, but I guess he assumed that Smith would run for re-election and now he may want to reconsider. I agree that this would be a good opportunity for him to say "I told you so", but not sure how much good it would really do him as an argument to elect him over Flanagan/Craig/whoever else. He is still a bland and generic Democrat otherwise.

Kind of surprised that Flanagan would declare her intention to run so soon, especially given that she would be the natural successor to Walz if he decides to run for this seat. She must know something we don't about his intentions to run for re-election.

[Storr]

If Pete Buttigieg wants to carpetbag for a Senate seat, he should do it in Minnesota instead of Michigan.

Yes, but also I don't think it'll work with Klobuchar in the other chair.

Until trying to think of why Amy would have beef with Pete just now, I had totally forgotten she ran for President in 2020. She'd make a good President, but her campaign felt like such a brief blip on the radar.

[falling apart like the ashes of American flags]

Also wonder how many people who’ll nudge Ilhan into running for the Senate are more interested in getting her out of the House

She's not dumb enough to run.

[Just Some Guy]

Also wonder how many people who’ll nudge Ilhan into running for the Senate are more interested in getting her out of the House

No, its just Republicans who want a chance to win a seat in MN. Omar has competitve primaries for her House seat so there no reason to try to run for a Senate seat against other established Democrats.

Also, I doubt she, Frost, Talib,Crockett or Casar could ever win statewide in their respective states. Their purely district politicians.

Only 3 members of the squad that could win statewide are Cortez, Pressley, and Underwood, iffy on Lee or Ramirez; which on Underwood I imagine becomes a reality once Durbin announces he's forgoing reelection this year.

[Don't blame me I voted for Harris]

Flanagan or Craig, this is a Harris +4 state in a Trump midterm and Reps will likely nominate Royce White again—though they might see an opportunity to make this at least somewhat competitive and will try to stop him and put up a more serious candidate instead— so Dems will probably face very little challenge at holding it, but Craig would probably be the safer bet at winning, given she actually has experience running races and greatly outperformed the top of the ticket in her last election.

We almost certainly won't see Omar run, but I think Ellison will throw his hat into the ring—which is a scary thought because it would actually put this seat at risk in the unlikely event he were to actually get the nomination.

[Existing in the context]

Also wonder how many people who’ll nudge Ilhan into running for the Senate are more interested in getting her out of the House

No, its just Republicans who want a chance to win a seat in MN. Omar has competitve primaries for her House seat so there no reason to try to run for a Senate seat against other established Democrats.

Also, I doubt she, Frost, Talib,Crockett or Casar could ever win statewide in their respective states. Their purely district politicians.

Only 3 members of the squad that could win statewide are Cortez, Pressley, and Underwood, iffy on Lee or Ramirez; which on Underwood I imagine becomes a reality once Durbin announces he's forgoing reelection this year.

Is Underwood really part of the squad? I also seen her as a mainstream Democrats. Durbin retiring will create a crowded primary but I feel a lot of people do want her to run.

[falling apart like the ashes of American flags]

Flanagan or Craig, this is a Harris +4 state in a Trump midterm and Reps will likely nominate Royce White again

Why? Like I said he only really got nominated because no one serious wanted to run against Klobuchar. The issue is their "serious" candidates aren't really much better.

As for Ellison he doesn't want to go back to Washington. He was seeking basically every possible excuse to get out of the House, like promising to resign his seat if he was elected DNC Chair even though that's not required or even customary.

[Don't blame me I voted for Harris]

Flanagan or Craig, this is a Harris +4 state in a Trump midterm and Reps will likely nominate Royce White again

Why? Like I said he only really got nominated because no one serious wanted to run against Klobuchar. The issue is their "serious" candidates aren't really much better.

Read the rest of that sentence.

[falling apart like the ashes of American flags]

Flanagan or Craig, this is a Harris +4 state in a Trump midterm and Reps will likely nominate Royce White again

Why? Like I said he only really got nominated because no one serious wanted to run against Klobuchar. The issue is their "serious" candidates aren't really much better.

Read the rest of that sentence.

That sort of contradicts the first part, it shows that he's NOT likely to be nominated again.

Minnesota Republicans usually don't do retreads anyway. Jeff Johnson 2014/18 is kind of the exception, but that's largely because he came much closer than expected the first go around.

[Just Some Guy]

Also wonder how many people who’ll nudge Ilhan into running for the Senate are more interested in getting her out of the House

No, its just Republicans who want a chance to win a seat in MN. Omar has competitve primaries for her House seat so there no reason to try to run for a Senate seat against other established Democrats.

Also, I doubt she, Frost, Talib,Crockett or Casar could ever win statewide in their respective states. Their purely district politicians.

Only 3 members of the squad that could win statewide are Cortez, Pressley, and Underwood, iffy on Lee or Ramirez; which on Underwood I imagine becomes a reality once Durbin announces he's forgoing reelection this year.

Is Underwood really part of the squad? I also seen her as a mainstream Democrats. Durbin retiring will create a crowded primary but I feel a lot of people do want her to run.

https://twitter.com/JoshKraushaar/status/1153635677306855424?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw...


She is. But I can see why people don't make the connection, she hasn't really been vocal about in awhile.

[wbrocks67]

I mean Josh is the one putting her in that box. She didn't put herself in the "squad" box and never did. You can be a progressive woman house member without being part of the "squad"

Jotline Hosh, folks

[Just Some Guy]

I mean Josh is the one putting her in that box. She didn't put herself in the "squad" box and never did. You can be a progressive woman house member without being part of the "squad"

Jotline Hosh, folks

Are the progressive dems and "The Squad" really that different? They both have the same goals and messaging overall which is far left.

[wbrocks67]

I mean Josh is the one putting her in that box. She didn't put herself in the "squad" box and never did. You can be a progressive woman house member without being part of the "squad"

Jotline Hosh, folks

Are the progressive dems and "The Squad" really that different? They both have the same goals and messaging overall which is far left.

No, because Lauren Underwood is certainly not "far left"

[kwabbit]

Also wonder how many people who’ll nudge Ilhan into running for the Senate are more interested in getting her out of the House

No, its just Republicans who want a chance to win a seat in MN. Omar has competitve primaries for her House seat so there no reason to try to run for a Senate seat against other established Democrats.

Also, I doubt she, Frost, Talib,Crockett or Casar could ever win statewide in their respective states. Their purely district politicians.

Only 3 members of the squad that could win statewide are Cortez, Pressley, and Underwood, iffy on Lee or Ramirez; which on Underwood I imagine becomes a reality once Durbin announces he's forgoing reelection this year.

Is Underwood really part of the squad? I also seen her as a mainstream Democrats. Durbin retiring will create a crowded primary but I feel a lot of people do want her to run.

https://twitter.com/JoshKraushaar/status/1153635677306855424?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw...

She is. But I can see why people don't make the connection, she hasn't really been vocal about in awhile.

I don't think Underwood's district was won by Trump. It was Biden +14 and is suburban/rural, both of which swung less than Chicago. It does have many of the Hispanic areas of Chicagoland, but I'm pretty sure it was still like Harris +7. However, the 2010s iteration was a GOP pack that became competitive due to educational polarization so I think Trump may have won it in 2024.

[Atlas Force]

Unironically BRTD should run

[Atlas Force]

Also wonder how many people who’ll nudge Ilhan into running for the Senate are more interested in getting her out of the House

No, its just Republicans who want a chance to win a seat in MN. Omar has competitve primaries for her House seat so there no reason to try to run for a Senate seat against other established Democrats.

Also, I doubt she, Frost, Talib,Crockett or Casar could ever win statewide in their respective states. Their purely district politicians.

Only 3 members of the squad that could win statewide are Cortez, Pressley, and Underwood, iffy on Lee or Ramirez; which on Underwood I imagine becomes a reality once Durbin announces he's forgoing reelection this year.

Is Underwood really part of the squad? I also seen her as a mainstream Democrats. Durbin retiring will create a crowded primary but I feel a lot of people do want her to run.

https://twitter.com/JoshKraushaar/status/1153635677306855424?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw...

She is. But I can see why people don't make the connection, she hasn't really been vocal about in awhile.

I don't think Underwood's district was won by Trump. It was Biden +14 and is suburban/rural, both of which swung less than Chicago. It does have many of the Hispanic areas of Chicagoland, but I'm pretty sure it was still like Harris +7. However, the 2010s iteration was a GOP pack that became competitive due to educational polarization so I think Trump may have won it in 2024.

The tweet is from 2019, he’s referring to how it voted in 2016

[These birds not meant to fly alone]

Unironically BRTD should run

"Does it blow your mind that no other Senators co-sponsored my bill to make Never Meant by American Football the national anthem?"

[Atlas Force]

Unironically BRTD should run

"Does it blow your mind that no other Senators co-sponsored my bill to make Never Meant by American Football the national anthem?"

LOL

[Unbeatable Titan Susan Collins]

https://twitter.com/nicholaswu12/status/1890087227222552798


Phillips is out but the GOP dream candidate is considering

[South Dakota Democrat]

One kind of off the wall name I've heard thrown around is Dean Phillips...I mean you can't really laugh at him now. He could say he's been redeemed with what he said about Biden. He may not be interested because now he's returned to his old life as a super rich guy and he just keep that forever but he really did earn an "I told you so."

He praised Elon recently.

[Oryxslayer]

Phillips is out but the GOP dream candidate is considering

GOP dreams is the right term, because thats the place where she can win a primary statewide. We literally know this - if she barely can win MN-05's primaries then she can't really go anywhere with an electorate far, far, less suited to her candidacy. especially when we look at who in those primaries is voting against her.

More realistically some parts of both the Dems and the GOP would love to see a run from her since it would be retirement by other means, and MN-05 can elect less of a lightening rod. And hey, maybe she is looking to indulge them and find a dignified way out, with the pension locked up and the harassment from the right not exactly stopping