Matt Little, a former mayor of Lakeville, Minn., and state senator, won the Democratic primary in Minnesota’s Second Congressional District on Tuesday, according to The Associated Press, scoring another victory for the party’s progressive wing in a district long considered to be a battleground area.
The three-way race to replace Representative Angie Craig was seen as test of how liberal candidates can fare in more moderate, Midwestern areas.
Mr. Little, who beat State Representative Kaela Berg and State Senator Matt Klein, centered his candidacy on promises to ban corporate money from politics and support for “Medicare for All.” He was critical of data centers and the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, the pro-Israel lobbying group that has spent tens of millions on midterm races.
His progressive pitch won the coveted endorsement of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, Minnesota’s version of the Democratic Party, which gave him access to the party’s volunteer base, voter list and regional offices.
Ms. Berg, a flight attendant, centered her campaign message on affordability. She was backed by Emily’s List, which raises money to elect women who back abortion rights, and several unions.
On the campaign trail, she leaned into her experience living paycheck to paycheck — like many voters in her district, she said — arguing it would make her the strongest candidate for the party in a general election.
Dr. Klein, a physician who works at the Mayo Clinic, described himself as a moderate in the model of Ms. Craig, who declined to endorse in the race. He focused on appealing to moderate, rural and independent voters in the district, arguing a broad coalition would be necessary to win in November.
The Second Congressional District, just south of the Twin Cities, is the only open House contest in the state. After Ms. Craig won it handily in 2024, it is now considered to favor Democrats.
Mr. Little will now face State Sen. Eric Pratt, who ran unopposed in the Republican primary.
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