United States Senator — Minnesota 2026

N/RMarisa SimonettiIndependent

Plymouth business owner; independent candidate for U.S. Senate.

No meaningful positions on the six values found; stated priorities center on cutting regulatory burdens and 'performative bureaucracy.' Did not respond to MCCL's survey; iVoterGuide rates her Leans Liberal.

Sources: [1] [2] [3]

Ballotpedia

CRebecca WhitingLibertarian

Bemidji farmer, U.S. Army veteran and chair of the Libertarian Party of Minnesota; Libertarian candidate for U.S. Senate.

Answered yes to all 11 questions on MCCL's 2026 pro-life congressional survey; campaigns on cutting taxes, eliminating the national debt and deregulation. No other values positions found.

• Life: Answered yes to all 11 questions on MCCL's 2026 congressional pro-life survey (federal role protecting the unborn, Born-Alive Act, H.R. 7, Hyde Amendment).
• Family: No position found.
• Religious liberty: No position found.
• 2nd Amendment: No position found.
• Limited gov’t: Campaigns on deregulating business and opposing taxpayer-funded surveillance; no voting record.
• Fiscal: Says she wants to cut taxes, balance the budget and eliminate the national debt; no voting record.

Sources: [1] [2] [3] [4]

Ballotpedia

DPeggy FlanaganDemocratic

Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota and former state representative; DFL candidate for U.S. Senate.

Endorsed by Planned Parenthood Action Fund and Giffords PAC, rated F by NRA-PVF, and holds a 0% MCCL and 100% Pro-Choice Minnesota record from her time in the Minnesota House.

• Life: MCCL reports a 0% pro-life voting record in the Minnesota House and says she championed the 2023 PRO Act and supports repealing the Hyde Amendment; Pro-Choice Minnesota 100% (2017-18); endorsed by Planned Parenthood Action Fund.
• Family: No specific position found; iVoterGuide rates her Verified Liberal.
• Religious liberty: No specific position found.
• 2nd Amendment: Rated F by NRA-PVF for 2026; endorsed by Giffords PAC, and says she supports banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.
• Limited gov’t: American Conservative Union Minnesota score of 18% (2016).
• Fiscal: No specific position found; party inference.

Sources: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]

Ballotpedia

BMichele TafoyaRepublican

Former sports broadcaster and podcast host; Republican candidate for U.S. Senate.

Describes herself as a 'pro-choice Republican' but MCCL recommends her over Flanagan after she backed the Hyde Amendment, the Born-Alive Act and opposed the Women's Health Protection Act; calls for less spending and keeping males out of women's sports.

• Life: Has called herself a 'pro-choice Republican'; on MCCL's survey she supports the Hyde Amendment, H.R. 7 and the Born-Alive Act and opposes the Women's Health Protection Act, but did not answer on a federal role protecting the unborn or chemical abortion. MCCL says she is 'not fully pro-life' and recommends (not endorses) her.
• Family: Says 'Keep men out of women's sports and locker rooms'; no marriage position found.
• Religious liberty: No specific position found.
• 2nd Amendment: NRA-PVF lists her with no grade ('?'); no specific position found.
• Limited gov’t: Says she wants to reduce government overreach and cut costly federal regulations; no record.
• Fiscal: Says Congress should 'spend less; borrow less; tax less' and that she would not vote for spending bills like the Inflation Reduction Act; no record.

Sources: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

Ballotpedia