What to Know About the Democratic Primaries in Wisconsin and Minnesota
Democratic voters in Wisconsin and Minnesota are going to the polls Tuesday, August 11. In both states, the primaries feature a contest between two groups within the Democratic Party: moderates, who tend to favor more centrist positions, and progressives, who push for bigger changes in policy. NPR reported on the primaries Tuesday morning.
NPR's Leila Fadel interviewed Jessica Taylor of the Cook Political Report, a group that analyzes elections, about the moderate-versus-progressive contests in both states. The segment aired as polls opened. NPR
In Minnesota, the Democratic U.S. Senate primary is between Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan and Rep. Angie Craig. They are running for the Senate seat left open by Democratic Sen. Tina Smith, according to AP. Minnesota's primary day is Tuesday, August 11, per the Minnesota Secretary of State's elections calendar. Voters could cast ballots by mail or in person from June 26 through August 10, and the deadline to register in advance was July 21, per the Secretary of State's office.
In Wisconsin, the Democratic primary for governor has drawn progressive candidates making their final pushes ahead of Tuesday's vote, AP reported. Progressive candidates for Minnesota's Senate race were also in the final stretch of their campaigns.
The August 2026 Democratic primaries in Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota serve as a way to measure how frustrated Democratic voters are with the party's current leadership, AP reported last month. In Michigan, where the primary was held August 5, former public health official Abdul El-Sayed won the Democratic Senate primary, narrowly defeating Rep. Haley Stevens, AP reported August 6.
The broader context is a summer of Democratic primaries in the Midwest where the party's moderate and progressive sides have competed directly. In a primary, voters pick which candidate from their own party will appear on the November ballot. Michigan's Senate primary gave a narrow win to a progressive candidate over a more moderate one. Wisconsin's governor primary and Minnesota's Senate primary now test whether that same pattern continues, with results expected Tuesday evening once polls close and ballots are counted.
Minnesota's Secretary of State provides election results through the state's official website. Wisconsin results will be reported through that state's election system. Tuesday's outcomes will set the Democratic candidates for the November general elections in two states that have been key battlegrounds in recent presidential and midterm elections.
The primaries also come at a moment when the Democratic Party's direction is unsettled. Moderate candidates have said they are more likely to win in competitive states and districts. Progressive candidates have pushed for a bolder policy agenda and new leadership. The results in Wisconsin and Minnesota, following Michigan, will give party officials more information about which side is turning out more voters and winning contested races.
Several factors will shape how Tuesday's results are read. Turnout levels in each state will show how engaged Democratic voters are. The margin of victory, particularly in Minnesota's Senate primary, will determine whether the winner can claim strong support or faces a divided party heading into November. In Wisconsin, the gubernatorial nominee will come from a field where progressive candidates have competed against more moderate alternatives.
Fadel and Taylor's discussion on NPR touched on the Cook Political Report's assessment of the competitive landscape in both states. The interview focused on how the moderate-versus-progressive divide is playing out in races where the Democratic nominee will face a competitive general election in November.
