{"id":18109,"date":"2026-01-24T22:38:59","date_gmt":"2026-01-24T22:38:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/?p=18109"},"modified":"2026-01-24T22:39:00","modified_gmt":"2026-01-24T22:39:00","slug":"klobuchar-tafoya-shake-up-minnesota-midterm-elections","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/?p=18109","title":{"rendered":"Klobuchar, Tafoya shake up Minnesota midterm elections"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Two well-known Minnesotans, one a long-time politician and the other a political newcomer, shook up the Minnesota midterm election within two days of each other.<\/p>\n

On Thursday, U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar filed paperwork to create a campaign finance committee for a potential governor\u2019s race. As a four-term U.S. senator with a history of double-digit victories since 2006, she immediately would become the frontrunner for governor if she runs in 2026.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> Klobuchar files campaign paperwork for Minnesota governor<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cOn the Democrat side, of course,\u201d Republican political analyst Brian McDaniel said Friday during a recording of \u201cAt Issue with Tom Hauser,\u201d adding one caveat.\u00a0\u201cI think that just by how many statewide elections she has won, she has proven that she is an attractive candidate to wide swaths of people. But is in no way impervious to being defeated.\u201d<\/p>\n

Former DFL Sen. Ember Reichgott Junge says she thinks Klobuchar would be the clear favorite. \u201cShe\u2019s the right candidate at the right time. She can bring people together. She\u2019s popular in all the 87 counties, and she was a prosecutor, so she can be front and center on trying to structure that fraud prevention response.\u201d<\/p>\n

The other big development is in the U.S. Senate race for the seat now held by Democrat Tina Smith. Former NFL sideline reporter and current podcaster, Michele Tafoya, officially announced her candidacy for the Republican nomination.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> Ex-sports reporter Michele Tafoya launches bid for US Senate seat in Minnesota<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cI certainly think she\u2019s the most electable out of everybody who is in,\u201d says McDaniel. \u201cShe is a pro-choice person, which sometimes doesn\u2019t play all that well with Republican delegates, but I think she\u2019ll do a good job fundraising, and she will be popular.\u201d<\/p>\n

Reichgott Junge says Tafoya\u2019s first challenge will be winning over Republican delegates and\/or primary voters. \u201cIt\u2019s going to be a question of if she can get out of the Republican primary because she is for abortion rights,\u201d she says. \u201cIf she does, it\u2019s a toss-up.\u201d<\/p>\n

You can see more of our analysis of this race and more of the week\u2019s political news on \u201cAt Issue\u201d Sunday at 10 a.m.<\/p>\n