If the Democratic ticket secures a victory in November, it could mark history differently: Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan of Minnesota would likely be the first Native American woman to head a state.
Flanagan, a member of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe, attained this milestone in 2019 and is now the highest-ranking Native woman elected to an executive office. In 2022, she secured re-election alongside Gov. Tim Walz.
With Vice President Kamala Harris selecting Walz as her running mate on Tuesday, a victory over Republican nominee Donald Trump and his running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, would elevate Flanagan, 44, to the role of Minnesota governor.
Although Walz and Flanagan’s current terms extend to 2026, the state Constitution permits Flanagan to assume the governorship if Walz vacates office.
This would also mark her as Minnesota’s first female governor. In a recent post on X, Flanagan congratulated Walz on joining Harris.
In her prominent position, Flanagan has been vocal in supporting Indigenous rights, notably advocating for the change in Minnesota’s state flag this year.
The previous design was criticized for decades due to its portrayal of Native Americans. In 2016, while serving as a state representative, Flanagan attended the Democratic National Convention.
She bravely spoke out against then-nominee Trump, who had derogatorily referred to Sen. Elizabeth Warren as Pocahontas.
Flanagan shared a heartfelt moment with her daughter, emphasizing the importance of pride in one’s identity despite the challenges faced by their people.
“Your name is not Pocahontas,” Flanagan wrote to her young daughter. You should never let anyone make you feel anything less than proud of who you are. So, despite everything that has happened to our people, and no matter what Donald Trump says, we are still here.”
She continued to stand against Trump’s policies during his presidency. In 2020, when Ivanka Trump visited Minnesota for the launch of a task force office focusing on solving cold cases involving missing and murdered Native Americans and Alaska Natives, Flanagan expressed her concerns.
“Donald Trump made a career demonstrating and celebrating behaviour that perpetuates violence against Native women and girls,” she said at the time.
Following that, Flanagan played a key role in establishing the inaugural Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives Office in St. Paul, designed to assist families in navigating the justice system.
In an interview with MinnPost in 2023, she said, “It really matters who’s at the table and who’s elected. We finally have Native representation in the governor’s office and Native women in the Legislature.”
Olekanma Favour is a resourceful, self-motivated, and result-driven writer with a passion for crafting compelling narratives and insightful content. She loves tackling complex topics and weaving engaging stories.
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