Minnesota may soon be home to the country’s first Native American woman governor.
On Tuesday, Vice President Kamala Harris chose Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to join the Democratic ticket as her running mate. The duo are scheduled to make their first campaign appearance later Tuesday together in Philadelphia for the first time since the announcement.
If Harris and Walz win the presidential election and are inaugurated in January, the role of governor will fall to Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan. Flanagan, a citizen of the White Earth Nation, was first elected with Walz in 2018, becoming the first Native woman in the Lower 48 to serve as a state’s lieutenant governor. Valerie Davidson, Yup’ik, briefly served as Alaska’s lieutenant governor in 2018.
Flanagan would become Minnesota’s first female governor, as well as the first Native woman to serve as governor of any state. She would still be the highest-ranking elected Native woman to serve in an executive office in the country. Bobby Joe Champion, president of the Minnesota state Senate, would become the new lieutenant governor. He’d be the first Black person to serve in that role.
On July 23, Flanagan told ICT that she and Walz “stand ready to do what it takes” to elect Kamala Harris, adding she would “absolutely answer” the call if she was asked to step up as Minnesota governor. Flanagan gave a keynote at the Advance Native Political Leadership in Scottsdale, Arizona. She sat down for a brief interview with ICT’s Aliyah Chavez.
“I’ve really been fortunate, I’ve worked side-by-side with Tim Walz and I know what kind of leader he is,” she said. “I also know that when I accepted the role of being his running mate and the role of lieutenant governor, if I am called to be the next governor of Minnesota I will absolutely answer that call, but for now I am laser-focused on ensuring that we elect Kamala Harris president of the United States.”
The race for the White House will consign Gov. Walz to the campaign trail, taking him away from his duties in Minnesota. Harris and Walz are expected to campaign aggressively in key swing states like Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, as well as Georgia and Arizona. As a result, Flanagan will likely spend the next few months carrying out most of the duties of the governor’s office when he’s out of the state.
Following a Democratic win this fall, Walz could choose to resign after the November election or wait until he is inaugurated on Jan. 20. In either case, Walz will vacate the office of governor pursuant to the state’s constitution, and Flanagan will succeed him for the duration of his term — two years. Minnesota’s next gubernatorial election will be held in November 2026.
This move may demonstrate that Walz believes Flanagan is ready for the role. Afterall, she taught Walz what he knows. Mark Trahant wrote in his blog, Trahant Reports, that the two met in 2005 at Paul Wellstone’s camp. “Peggy’s vast knowledge and expertise will be something I rely on daily,” Walz said in his campaign news release for his first congressional race. They’ve had a close friendship since then.
During their time in office, Walz and Flanagan have worked to improve relationships with the 11 federally-recognized tribal nations in Minnesota. This includes creating the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives Office to address alarming numbers of Indigenous people who have disappeared across the state. Flanagan has also helped pass legislation for an historic child tax credit, in addition to supporting free and reduced-price school meals.
Before serving as lieutenant governor, Flanagan was previously a member of the Minneapolis Board of Education from 2005 to 2009. She went on to serve in the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2015, and she formed the state’s first People of Color and Indigenous Caucus, which works to improve social and economic opportunities for marginalized communities across the state.
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