Minnesota AFL-CIO Endorses Peggy Flanagan for US Senate

The Minnesota AFL-CIO, the state federation of more than 1,000 local unions collectively representing more than 300,000 working people, endorsed Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan for U.S. Senate. 

“Peggy Flanagan has devoted her life as an organizer, advocate, and elected leader to improving the lives of workers and families, and she is exactly the kind of person working Minnesotans need representing us in the United States Senate,” said Minnesota AFL-CIO President Bernie Burnham. “Peggy believes that one good job should be enough to support a family, and she’s proved she will take on corporate special interests to make that a reality.”

As executive director of the Children’s Defense Fund-Minnesota, Flanagan worked directly with the Minnesota AFL-CIO as co-chair of the coalition that passed the state's first minimum wage increase in more than a decade. Following that success, she continued working with Minnesota’s Labor Movement to help pass Minnesota’s Paid Family and Medical Leave law. As Lieutenant Governor, she has consistently led the charge for workers, including during 2023’s historic pro-worker legislative session that in addition to Paid Leave, delivered Earned Sick and Safe Time, banned captive-audience meetings, and prohibited non-compete agreements. 

“Working Minnesotans have a clear choice for U.S. Senate: a tested, pro-worker champion like Peggy Flanagan or another anti-union rubber stamp for Donald Trump like Michele Tafoya,” Burnham added. “We can count on Peggy to fight for working people and our unions, not Donald Trump and his billionaire friends.” 

Every two years, the Minnesota AFL-CIO runs an independent, member-driven political campaign. The Labor 2026 political campaign, officially launching on September 8, will educate union members about labor-endorsed candidates through member-to-member door knocks, phone banks, text messages and digital ads.