Angie Craig

“We’re going to push back against the status quo and send a progressive fighter to continue representing us in Washington, D.C.,” Flanagan said.

Smith’s endorsement comes a day before the state’s Democratic and Republican precinct caucuses, the first step in each party’s formal endorsement process.

In selecting Flanagan, Smith is elevating a fellow lieutenant governor and progressive over Craig, a moderate, for the seat she has held since 2018. Smith is the eighth sitting senator to endorse Flanagan, who also has the backing of Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and other members of the so-called Fight Club of progressive senators of which they are all a part. Former Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.), who held the seat before Smith, also endorsed Flanagan.

Craig has some high-profile endorsements of her own, with five senators including Sens. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) in her corner, as well as former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

And it comes against the backdrop of deadly incidents involving federal agents enforcing President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown in the state that have opened new fissures in the Senate primary. While both candidates have called for Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s impeachment, Flanagan has attacked Craig for taking “pro-Trump” immigration votes last year, while Craig has countered that her rival is being “disingenuous” about the content and context of the measures.

Nonpartisan public polling in the race has been scant. Polling conducted in the past month for Flanagan’s team, as well as a separate survey commissioned by a pro-Flanagan group, shows the lieutenant governor with a double-digit lead over Craig. A poll commissioned by Craig’s campaign showed the race within the margin of error.