Michele Tafoya, the former NBC Sports sideline reporter who covered Sunday Night Football and Monday Night Football for decades before pivoting to conservative political commentary, won the Republican Senate primary in Minnesota Tuesday night with approximately 51 percent of the vote, defeating former Navy SEAL Adam Schwarze, who had the official state party endorsement, and former NBA player Royce White.
She will face Democratic Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan in November.
Flanagan, a progressive, won the Democratic nomination over centrist U.S. Representative Angie Craig, a result that sets up a November matchup between a first-time Republican candidate and a progressive Democrat in a state that has not elected a Republican to statewide office since 2006.
The seat is being vacated by retiring Democratic Senator Tina Smith.
Tafoya announced her candidacy in January, saying Minnesota was in a "crisis of leadership."
She raised more than $2.6 million and ran on government accountability, tackling public fraud, inflation, crime and border security. Former NFL head coach Tony Dungy endorsed her. Trump did not endorse in the primary.
Republicans believe Tafoya, a name voters outside Minnesota recognize, is their best shot at breaking a two-decade Democratic streak at the state level. Democrats believe Flanagan, a well-funded progressive with executive experience, is well-positioned to hold the seat.