Michele Tafoya wins Republican nomination in Minnesota Senate race

Former sports broadcaster Michele Tafoya won the Republican Senate nomination in Minnesota’s Tuesday primary.

Tafoya, a newcomer to politics, defeated Adam Schwarze, a Marine veteran and Navy SEAL who had the official backing of the state Republican committee, and Royce White, who had an existing profile as a prior candidate, conservative commentator and a brief professional basketball career.

Tafoya will face an uphill battle in Minnesota, where Democrats have a two-decade streak of winning top offices. But Republicans think Tafoya, who is known outside of politics and doesn’t have a controversial voting record, is well-positioned to pull off an upset victory.

President Donald Trump did not make an endorsement in the primary.

On the Democratic side, Minnesota voters were settling a moderate-vs.-progressive Democratic U.S. Senate primary between centrist U.S. Rep. Angie Craig and progressive Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan.