Former “Sunday Night Football” sidelines reporter Michele Tafoya announced a Republican bid for Senate on Wednesday to replace retiring Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minnesota) with the backing of the Senate Republicans’ campaign arm.
“For too long, hardworking people have been ripped off by criminals, corporations and career politicians,” Tafoya said in a video announcing her candidacy. “And the people doing everything right are the ones paying the biggest price. Well I’m not going to stay on the sidelines any longer.”
Tafoya cited her work as a television reporter in her campaign announcement, saying the job “taught me about how leadership really works. When leaders are prepared and accountable, teams succeed. When they aren’t, people pay the price.”
Besides her time with NBC’s “Sunday Night Football,” Tafoya also had stints with CBS and ESPN. Since leaving network television, she has been a conservative commentator with her own podcast and appearances on other right-wing media.
Tafoya enters a crowded primary but is backed by the National Republican Senatorial Committee and its chairman, Sen. Tim Scott (R-South Carolina).
“From allowing billions of dollars in fraud to vilifying law enforcement, the Walz-Flanagan administration has failed Minnesotans,” Scott posted on social media, referencing the state’s current governor and lieutenant governor. “But change is coming, and Michele Tafoya will lead the way.”
Royce White, a former professional basketball player who challenged Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota) in 2024, is also running as a Republican, as are former Minnesota Republican Party Chair David Hann, former Navy SEAL Adam Schwarze, former House candidate Tom Weiler and others.
Tafoya’s announcement made passing reference to the unrest that has gripped the Twin Cities over federal immigration enforcement, noting the “pressure is mounting again” while showing a clip of protesters clashing with law enforcement. She said she would stand with police to combat crime and deport undocumented immigrants, but did not reference the growing tensions between local law enforcement and federal immigration agents.
Tafoya did not name Renée Good, a 37-year-old woman who was shot and killed by an ICE officer earlier this month. Good’s killing sparked further demonstrations and calls from elected officials for federal immigration efforts to end in the city. The Trump administration defended the ICE officer as acting in self defense. Roughly 3,000 people have been arrested as part of the immigration enforcement operation — the largest in the country.
In the video, Tafoya also took jabs at the state’s Democratic leaders, including Gov. Tim Walz over the state’s multiyear welfare fraud that has become a national scandal. Scammers stole at least hundreds of millions of dollars in government funding for social safety net programs under Walz’s governorship, according to prosecutors. The scandal has damaged Walz’s image in the state, just over a year after he was vaulted into the national spotlight as then-Vice President Kamala Harris’s running mate. Republicans assert their downballot candidates will also be able to capitalize on the fraud scandal.
Tafoya also cited keeping trans athletes out of women’s sports and lowering costs for middle-class families as her policy priorities. Her affordability message focused on reducing taxes and bolstering manufacturing.
In what is expected to be a contentious Democratic Senate primary, Rep. Angie Craig is facing off against Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan.
Klobuchar, who holds Minnesota’s other Senate seat, is considering running for governor in the wake of Walz’s retirement announcement this month. That would leave both of the state’s Senate seats up for grabs.
Minnesota’s Democratic Farmer Labor Party has historically had a solid hold on the state. Minnesota has not elected a Republican to the Senate since 2002 or a Republican to the White House since 1976.
But in 2024 President Donald Trump outperformed every GOP presidential candidate since George W. Bush in 2004 and came within five percentage points of Harris, the Democratic nominee.
Republicans also have a narrow majority in the state House and are one seat away from a majority in the state Senate. Half of the state’s delegation to the U.S. House is Republican, including House Majority Whip Tom Emmer.
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