Medicaid Fraud Scandal Shifts Minnesota Senate Race Toward Republicans
Republican nominee Michele Tafoya is gaining ground in a tight Minnesota Senate race as a state Medicaid fraud scandal pressures Democratic nominee Peggy Flanagan.
A widespread Medicaid and social service fraud scandal in Minnesota has shifted the dynamics of the state's U.S. Senate race, potentially favoring the Republican Party. NBC News chief data analyst Steve Kornacki reports that the race between Democratic nominee Peggy Flanagan and Republican nominee Michele Tafoya is currently tied in recent polling, reversing previous predictions of a blue wave.
Tafoya has centered her campaign on the fraud scandal, criticizing Flanagan, the current Lieutenant Governor, for failing to stop the schemes. The scandal has had broader implications for the state's Democratic leadership; Governor Tim Walz declined to run for a third term following investigative reports by Nick Shirley into the fraud schemes.
Republicans believe the state is flippable, citing the fact that Donald Trump previously carried Minnesota. Analysts suggest the fraud scandal creates a damaging tie to the Democratic ticket that could work against Flanagan in the November election.
