{"id":2531697,"date":"2026-01-08T19:53:58","date_gmt":"2026-01-09T00:53:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gop-betting-minnesota-fraud-scandal-buoys-bid-to-flip-senate-seat\/"},"modified":"2026-01-08T19:57:21","modified_gmt":"2026-01-09T00:57:21","slug":"gop-betting-minnesota-fraud-scandal-buoys-bid-to-flip-senate-seat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gop-betting-minnesota-fraud-scandal-buoys-bid-to-flip-senate-seat\/","title":{"rendered":"GOP betting Minnesota fraud scandal buoys bid to flip Senate seat"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fgop-betting-minnesota-fraud-scandal-buoys-bid-to-flip-senate-seat%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2531697&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Republicans see a widening political opening in Minnesota after a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ilhan-omars-republican-opponent-reveals-congresswomans-deep-ties-to-somali-fraud-scandal\/\" title=\"Ilhan Omar&#039;s ...ublican Opponent Reveals Congresswoman&#039;s &#039;Deep Ties&#039; to Somali ...\">large fraud scandal<\/a> that prompted Gov. Tim Walz&#8217;s retirement and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ketanji-brown-jackson-recounts-politically-charged-cases-during-trump-term-in-new-memoir-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"Ketanji Brown Jackson recounts \u2018politically charged\u2019 cases during Trump term in new memoir - Washington Examiner\">prompted federal prosecutors<\/a> to charge nearly 100 people (with 64 convictions so far). GOP strategists say the controversy &#8211; involving nonprofits, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/l-a-county-to-keep-indoor-mask-mandate-despite-state-dropping-its-own\/\" title=\"L.A. County to Keep Indoor Mask Mandate Despite State Dropping Its Own\">child-care centers<\/a>, and other organizations accused of misusing state and federal funds &#8211; could hurt Democrats vying for the U.S. Senate seat.<\/p>\n<p>Internal NRSC polling shared with the Washington Examiner found 55% of likely voters blame the Walz-Flanagan administration for any misuse of funds, 69% worry Rep. angie Craig hasn&#8217;t taken the issue seriously, and 50% say they&#8217;d be more likely to back a GOP candidate promising stronger oversight; 87% expressed concern that funds meant for seniors, disabled, and low-income families were diverted. Democrats&#8217; Senate hopefuls are Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan and Rep. Angie Craig, who are competing in a contested primary for the seat of retiring Sen.Tina smith.<\/p>\n<p>Craig has highlighted her legislative work on fraud prevention and may use the scandal to distinguish herself from Flanagan; Flanagan&#8217;s campaign counters that Craig is echoing Republican attacks and notes Walz has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/breaking-president-trump-gives-pardons-to-73-individuals-and-commutes-another-70-sentences-steve-bannon-is-included\/\" title=\"BREAKING: President Trump Gives Pardons to 73 Individuals and Commutes Another 70 Sentences \u2013 Steve Bannon Is Included\">accepted responsibility<\/a>. Nonpartisan forecasters still rate the general election a likely Democratic hold, but Republicans &#8211; who haven&#8217;t settled on a single nominee &#8211; are fielding several primary contenders including Royce White, adam Schwarze, tom Weiler, and perhaps Michele Tafoya.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">GOP bets Minnesota fraud scandal will buoy long-shot bid to flip Senate seat<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2467505\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p><strong>EXCLUSIVE &mdash; <\/strong>Republicans are increasingly bullish on their ability to make inroads in the Democratic stronghold of <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/minnesota\/\">Minnesota<\/a> after a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/minnesota-fraud\/\">fraud scandal<\/a> that rocked the state and contributed to the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/4406501\/tim-walz-drops-reelection-bid-minnesota-governor\/\">retirement of Gov. Tim Walz<\/a> (D-MN).<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;\">New internal polling from a GOP campaign arm, first provided to the&nbsp;<em>Washington Examiner,<\/em>&nbsp;suggests the two declared Democratic candidates for Senate, Lt. Gov.&nbsp;<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/3114646\/peggy-flanagan-harris-walz-win-shake-up-minnesota-politics\/\">Peggy Flanagan<\/a>&nbsp;and Rep.&nbsp;<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/630023\/angie-craig-points-to-mental-illness-and-homelessness-not-politics-after-attack-in-dc-apartment\/\">Angie Craig<\/a>, are vulnerable to allegations that nonprofit groups, <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >supposed child care centers<\/a>, and other organizations have bilked billions of dollars from state and federal programs.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4411389\/liberal-nonprofits-could-make-millions-from-earmarks-gop-spending-bill\/\">Liberal nonprofits could make millions from earmarks in GOP-backed spending bill<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4410867\/the-ice-shooting-could-lead-democrats-back-to-summer-of-2020-politics\/\">The ICE shooting could lead Democrats back to summer of 2020 politics<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4410319\/senate-democrats-on-luxury-retreats-during-government-shutdown-filings-show\/\">Senate Democrats spent lavishly on luxury retreats during government shutdown, filings show<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>A fatal shooting on Wednesday of a Minnesota woman by an&nbsp;<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/ice\/\">Immigration and Customs Enforcement<\/a>&nbsp;officer is also roiling tensions between Democrats and the Trump administration, but fallout from the fraud scheme will remain a political flashpoint that is likely to continue affecting the Senate primary and general election.<\/p>\n<p>After providing a brief description of the fraud allegations to likely voters, a majority, 55%, said in the survey that the Walz-Flanagan administration bears responsibility for any misuse of funds, and 69% expressed concern that Craig is not handling the issue of the potential misuse of taxpayer money seriously.<\/p>\n<p>The poll was conducted last month by the National Republican Senatorial Committee. Although its questions framed the scandal with wording sympathetic to Republicans, the survey suggests the GOP sees an opening that could drag down Democrats.<\/p>\n<p>In what the NRSC called &ldquo;good news for Republicans in a blue state,&rdquo; 50% of respondents said they&rsquo;re more likely to support a GOP Senate candidate pledging stronger oversight and audits. A large majority, 87%, expressed overall concern about the fraud scandal having diverted funds intended for seniors, disabled, and low-income families.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The seriously retired Governor Tim Walz and Minnesota Democrats like&nbsp;Peggy&nbsp;Flanagan and Angie Craig oversaw massive fraud that has hurt Minnesotans, and their failed leadership puts Minnesota in play for Republicans in 2026,&rdquo;&nbsp;NRSC Regional press secretary Nick Puglia said in a statement after Walz announced his retirement.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">From l-r: Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan speaks at the DFL election night party, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in St. Paul, Minn, and U.S. Rep. Angie Craig speaks at the Human Rights Campaign Minnesota Dinner on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo\/Abbie Parr\/Craig Lassig\/AP Content Services for Human Rights Campaign)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The Craig campaign declined to comment, and the Flanagan campaign did not respond to a request for comment. Both are vying for the seat of retiring Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN), while Republicans have yet to coalesce around a GOP candidate.<\/p>\n<p>Nonpartisan forecasters rate the general election as a &ldquo;likely&rdquo; Democratic contest as Republicans fight to maintain their 53-47 majority in the Senate.<\/p>\n<p>The scandal has also generated political ammunition for Craig, a federal lawmaker who can more easily make the case she&rsquo;s insulated from a state government issue, to use against Flanagan in what is a messy and competitive primary between two ideologically different candidates. Craig, the top Democrat on the House Agriculture Committee, represents the party&rsquo;s centrist faction while Flanagan embodies the progressive base. Since taking office in 2019, Craig has <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/craig.house.gov\/media\/press-releases\/government-watchdog-craigs-bill-payment-integrity-information-act-leads\">filed <\/a>various <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.congress.gov\/bill\/118th-congress\/house-bill\/5139?s=2&amp;r=20\">bills <\/a>aimed at <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/craig.house.gov\/media\/press-releases\/rep-angie-craig-introduces-bill-penalties-fraud-federal-programs\">combating fraud<\/a> in federal programs.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I think the impact more broadly to the Senate race is that Peggy Flanagan will have many of the same issues [on fraud],&rdquo; Craig recently <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/link.email.startribune.com\/view\/682c7c6f4f79027d6a0927e3ptznw.2ao\/ea054774\">told <em>The Minnesota Star Tribune<\/em><\/a>. &ldquo;We absolutely can&rsquo;t afford to let her be the nominee and put this Senate seat at risk.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>A Flanagan spokesperson told the outlet that Craig was &ldquo;choosing to lean into Republican attack lines to distract from her pro-Trump record&rdquo; and that Walz &ldquo;has said repeatedly that the buck stops with him and voters are taking him at his word.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4409731\/doj-prosecutors-minnesota-widening-fraud-investigation\/\">DOJ SENDS PROSECUTORS TO MINNESOTA AMID WIDENING FRAUD INVESTIGATION<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Prosecutors have charged nearly 100 defendants in Minnesota fraud-related cases thus far and secured 64 convictions, according to the Department of Justice, which has <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4409731\/doj-prosecutors-minnesota-widening-fraud-investigation\/\">launched an expansive investigation<\/a>. Most defendants are of Somali descent.<\/p>\n<p>It&rsquo;s an even more crowded primary on the Republican side of the ticket with former NBA player and 2024 GOP Senate nominee Royce White; former Navy SEAL Adam Schwarze; and retired U.S. Navy officer and 2022 GOP congressional nominee Tom Weiler. Michele Tafoya, a former NFL reporter who&rsquo;s now a political activist and commentator, is also weighing a run.<\/p>\n<p><em>Kaelan Deese contributed to this report. <\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>GOP sees MN fraud scandal helping flip Senate seat<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3108,"featured_media":2531698,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-collage-702vx61d7-1767904811091.jpg?1767886992&amp;w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[6203,5698,34723],"class_list":["post-2531697","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner","tag-gop","tag-minnesota","tag-senate-race"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-collage-702vx61d7-1767904811091.jpg?1767886992&amp;w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2531697","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3108"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2531697"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2531697\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2531705,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2531697\/revisions\/2531705"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2531698"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2531697"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2531697"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2531697"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}