By Former sports broadcaster Michele Tafoya is on the verge of deciding whether to enter the 2026 U.S. Senate race in Minnesota, arguing that the Republican Party has an opportunity to win over voters disillusioned by the Democratic Party’s priorities. Tafoya, who left NBC Sports in 2022 to focus on political commentary, has positioned herself as a moderate Republican—one who is skeptical of both progressive policies and the party’s more rigid conservative elements. As Senator Tina Smith prepares to retire, Tafoya has emerged as a potential GOP contender, though she has not yet made a final decision on whether to run.
“When Tina Smith made her announcement, my phone practically exploded,” Tafoya told WDAY Radio. “I’ve been talking to everyone from Tim Scott to people here locally, people in the establishment, but the ultimate thing for me is my family.” While she has signaled serious interest in the race, she has also floated other possible contenders, such as former gubernatorial candidate Kendall Qualls and journalist Liz Collin, suggesting she is not yet fully committed.
A self-described “pro-choice conservative with libertarian leanings,” Tafoya has challenged the Democratic Party’s focus on abortion, arguing that other issues—such as crime, economic stability, and parental rights—resonate more with voters.
Speaking on “The Ingraham Angle,” she criticized former Vice President Kamala Harris’s rally in Houston, where abortion providers were invited onstage to emphasize reproductive rights as a campaign issue, noted The Washington Examiner.
“That may have worked in the midterms in 2022 when we were closer to the Dobbs decision, but abortion is not my top concern—not even close,” Tafoya said. Instead, she argued that the Biden administration has done more harm to women’s rights through its changes to Title IX, which expanded anti-discrimination protections to transgender individuals, including in school athletics. “Women are losing their rights to roster spots and privacy in locker rooms because of Kamala Harris and Joe Biden and their attempt to dismantle Title IX,” she said.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order earlier in the year barring transgender women and girls from competing in female sports, titled the “No Men in Women’s Sports Executive Order.” Framing the measure as a defense of women’s athletics, Trump accused the “radical left” of erasing biological sex and asserted that the order would restore fairness in sports. The administration emphasized that the order is aimed at safeguarding women’s athletic opportunities, primarily by reversing Biden-era Title IX protections that allowed transgender students to compete in sports aligned with their gender identities.
Schools that do not comply will face federal investigations, while sports governing bodies, including the NCAA and the International Olympic Committee, are expected to align with the new policy.
Beyond cultural issues, Tafoya has sought to frame herself as a candidate focused on public safety and economic stability—key concerns for voters in the upcoming election. “I want to know my kids are safe. I want to know the streets of my community are safe. I want the border closed. And I want prices to come down,” she said.
Minnesota has leaned Democratic in recent federal elections, but will likely be an unexpected key battleground in 2026 as Democrats defend 13 of the 35 Senate seats up for grabs.
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