{"id":2644238,"date":"2026-08-13T07:44:00","date_gmt":"2026-08-13T11:44:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gop-sharpens-fraud-attacks-after-democrats-nominate-flanagan\/"},"modified":"2026-08-13T07:50:15","modified_gmt":"2026-08-13T11:50:15","slug":"gop-sharpens-fraud-attacks-after-democrats-nominate-flanagan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gop-sharpens-fraud-attacks-after-democrats-nominate-flanagan\/","title":{"rendered":"GOP sharpens fraud attacks after Democrats nominate Flanagan"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">16<\/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-sharpens-fraud-attacks-after-democrats-nominate-flanagan%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=2644238&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>The article discusses Minnesota&#8217;s political landscape amid recent developments related to election fraud and candidate races. Democrats nominated Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan for the Senate,but she faces strong Republican attacks tying her to ongoing fraud scandals associated with the Walz administration. Republicans are emphasizing issues of government fraud, criticizing Flanagan and the Democrats for mishandling social service programs and financial crimes, which has become a central attack theme as they aim to secure Minnesota&#8217;s Senate seat for the first time in two decades. Flanagan, who has distanced herself from Walz\u2019s handling of the fraud, highlights her policy achievements but remains cautious about her associations with the scandal. Simultaneously occurring, Republican candidate Michele Tafoya, a former NFL broadcaster, emphasizes her outsider status and aligns broadly with Trump\u2019s agenda, even tho she also has some more liberal stances. Polls show her trailing but within reach of victory, though most analysts project the seat will stay Democratic. The broader context includes national efforts to combat fraud and immigration enforcement in Minnesota, with Democrats defending their record and emphasizing issues like inflation and immigration policies in their campaigns. Minnesota&#8217;s political contests are highly influenced by the ongoing saga of fraud, candidate positioning, and national partisan dynamics.  <\/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<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Republicans\u2019 drumbeat on fraud is only set to grow louder in <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/minnesota\/\">Minnesota<\/a> after Democrats <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4681622\/minnesota-democratic-senate-primary-results-2026\/\">nominated a candidate for Senate<\/a> who is finishing up her second term as Gov. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/tim-walz\/\">Tim Walz\u2019s<\/a> (D-MN) top deputy.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Throughout her campaign, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan (D-MN) has distanced herself from Walz and the systemic fraud uncovered in Minnesota\u2019s social service programs during his tenure as governor. The controversy grew so great for Democrats that Walz <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/4439826\/tim-walz-says-he-will-never-run-for-any-office-again\/\">ended his campaign<\/a> for a third term in January, and Minnesota quickly became ground zero for a nationwide crackdown on fraud by the Trump administration.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4685349\/nikki-haley-goes-all-in-ralph-norman-against-trump-backed-darline-graham-nordone\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Nikki Haley goes all in for Ralph Norman against Trump-backed Darline Graham Nordone<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4685403\/chris-murphy-falls-short-on-endorsements\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Chris Murphy\u2019s poor endorsement record stress tests 2028 ambitions<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4685312\/gop-minnesota-fraud-attacks-peggy-flanagan-tim-walz-senate\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>GOP sharpens Minnesota fraud attacks after Tim Walz deputy wins Senate nomination<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As an attack line, it\u2019s been a major focus for Republicans who hope to win a statewide race in Minnesota for the first time in two decades. They are facing headwinds with President Donald Trump\u2019s <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.realclearpolling.com\/polls\/approval\/donald-trump\/approval-rating\">falling approval ratings<\/a> and a Minnesota electorate that generally favors Democrats, but the GOP sees the issue as a rare political wedge.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Not only have Walz\u2019s approval ratings <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.startribune.com\/minnesota-poll-gov-tim-walz-approval-rating-voters-harris-trump-fraud-election\/601850020\">fallen to new lows<\/a> ahead of his retirement, but polling shows 4 in 5 voters are concerned about reports of billions in tax dollars stolen from welfare and pandemic-era programs run by the state and funded by the federal government.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Republicans have painted Flanagan, a progressive Democrat who won her Senate primary on Tuesday, as part of a failed political establishment in Minnesota and made clear they would link her to Walz and his handling of the crisis.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cPeggy Flanagan oversaw the worst fraud scandal in modern American history and is now running as one of the most radical socialist Senate candidates on the map,\u201d Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, said in a Tuesday statement. \u201cMinnesota is desperate for change and fresh leadership.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ex-sports broadcaster Michele Tafoya, the Republican nominee in that Senate race, used one of her first general election interviews to call the fraud a \u201c<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=fSihViUA5Gw\">national embarrassment<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Republicans were always going to tie the Democrats to fraud, whether it was Flanagan or Rep. Angie Craig (D-MN), the primary rival Flanagan soundly defeated Tuesday night. Tafoya launched her campaign earlier this year, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4426849\/michele-tafoya-gop-senate-minnesota-ice-protests\/\">lumping the issue together<\/a> with <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/minnesotareformer.com\/2025\/09\/26\/most-minnesota-school-districts-havent-recovered-test-scores-after-the-pandemic\/\">poor school test scores<\/a> and the state\u2019s crime rates to paint herself as an \u201coutsider\u201d who would challenge the status quo.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But Flanagan gives Republicans a clearer foil to run against in November \u2014 someone who is directly associated with the Walz administration and will have a harder time sidestepping questions about the state\u2019s response to the fraud discovery.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Earlier this year, Walz, the 2024 running mate of former Vice President Kamala Harris, addressed the crisis by shuttering fraud-riddled programs and appointing officials to oversee fraud prevention efforts in government \u2014 steps that Flanagan has defended as \u201cincredibly aggressive.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Flanagan has simultaneously been careful to minimize her own involvement, instead deferring to Walz\u2019s statement that the \u201c<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/mn.gov\/governor\/newsroom\/press-releases\/?id=1055-716341\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">buck stops<\/a>\u201d with him.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Her response is part of a careful balancing act in which she\u2019s touted the accomplishments of the Walz administration while dancing around perceived liabilities. In her victory speech on Tuesday night, Flanagan stressed the role she played in securing paid family leave, universal school lunches, and an <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >emergency insulin \u201csafety net\u201d program signed<\/a> into law as lieutenant governor.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <em>Minnesota Reformer<\/em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/minnesotareformer.com\/2026\/07\/28\/in-tight-senate-race-peggy-flanagan-cant-escape-the-f-word\/\">  described<\/a> Flanagan\u2019s response to the fraud as a tacit admission of her lighter workload as lieutenant governor. The Flanagan campaign did not respond to a request for comment at the time of publication.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In her speech, Flanagan previewed what she sees as her most potent lines of attack against Tafoya, painting her as a rubber-stamp for Trump and tying her to the president\u2019s tariffs and an unpopular war in Iran.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cYou know what? We already have too many spineless \u2018yes, sir\u2019 senators who won\u2019t stand up to Donald Trump,\u201d Flanagan said. \u201cMinnesota, we are not going to send him another one.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-26\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-5\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tafoya, recruited into the race by Scott and other national Republicans, has broadly aligned with Trump\u2019s agenda, but she is a one-time critic of the president and could have some cross-appeal due to her more liberal views on abortion access.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tafoya also has greater name recognition due to her years spent as a sideline reporter for the NFL.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The general election <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/interactive\/polls\/minnesota-us-senate-election-polls-2026.html\">polling<\/a> available as of Wednesday shows Tafoya behind by single digits, with nonpartisan political analysts rating the Senate seat as likely to stay in Democratic hands. It is currently held by retiring Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN), a progressive Democrat who endorsed Flanagan.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Flanagan\u2019s primary win is part of a growing number of polling misses this cycle, and required her to overcome arguments from Craig, a relative centrist, about whether she was truly electable at the top of the ticket.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Flanagan won the primary by nearly 20 points despite independent polls showing her even or narrowly behind Craig. In their July debate, Craig warned that Flanagan had a \u201cunique liability\u201d due to her association with the Walz administration and that she had taken \u201cno accountability\u201d for the theft of federal tax dollars.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cRepublicans, they\u2019re going to have a field day with this with you,\u201d Craig <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mprnews.org\/episode\/2026\/07\/27\/analysis-of-mpr-news-us-dfl-primary-debate-craig-flanagan\">said<\/a> at the time. \u201cAnd it is my responsibility to warn Democratic primary voters that Republicans are dying to run against you because they believe that you have a unique vulnerability on fraud.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The political firestorm is part of what prompted the Trump administration to create an anti-fraud task force led by Vice President JD Vance. The Somali community in Minnesota was implicated in early federal prosecutions of fraud, driving the White House to surge immigration enforcement agents to the state. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Democrats note that Republicans have their own liabilities to deal with, including rising inflation and the voter blowback often seen for the party in power in a midterm year. Flanagan signaled Tuesday that Trump\u2019s immigration crackdown, controversial after two protesters were killed in Minneapolis, will continue to be a focus and has called for the party to \u201crip apart ICE.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s an issue set that mirrors how Democrats are running against Trump nationally. Candidates appear acutely aware, however, that the fraud could hurt their chances in Minnesota if not countered effectively. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4682095\/democrats-seth-bodnar-montana-alina-bankhead\/\"><strong>DEMOCRATS\u2019 GAMBLE ON INDEPENDENT CHALLENGERS HITS MAJOR ROADBLOCK AFTER MONTANA NOMINEE REFUSES TO QUIT<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), the Democrat <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/4676631\/klobuchar-hopes-overcome-fraud-scandals-plagued-walz-minnesota-governor-race\/\">hoping to succeed Walz<\/a> in the governor\u2019s mansion, tried to get ahead of the issue by <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/minnesota\/news\/sen-amy-klobuchar-anti-fraud-plan-gubernatorial-priorities\/\">rolling out an anti-fraud platform<\/a> shortly after announcing her campaign in May.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Klobuchar, who has served in the Senate since 2007, is considered the favorite to win the governor\u2019s race against House Speaker Lisa Demuth, the Republican nominee. Demuth\u2019s win in the GOP primary marked a defeat for Trump, who endorsed 2020 election skeptic Mike Lindell.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>GOP intensifies Minnesota fraud attacks amid Flanagan&#8217;s Senate bid<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2651,"featured_media":2644239,"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\/08\/AP26224148149258-e1786565942626.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[3685,84078,6909,6203],"class_list":["post-2644238","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-democrats","tag-flanagan","tag-fraud","tag-gop"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP26224148149258-e1786565942626.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2644238","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\/2651"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2644238"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2644238\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2644242,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2644238\/revisions\/2644242"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2644239"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2644238"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2644238"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2644238"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}