Minnesota Democratic Senate nominee Peggy Flanagan is campaigning on the prospect of becoming the first Native American woman to serve in the U.S. Senate. Flanagan, a member of the Ojibwe White Earth Nation and the Wolf Clan, emphasized the historic absence of Native voices in the Senate, stating, "In almost 250 years, there’s never been a Native woman serving in the US Senate. It’s time to change that."

Flanagan’s campaign has drawn attention to her prominent endorser, Senator Elizabeth Warren, whose past claims of Native American ancestry have been a subject of political controversy for years. Throughout her career, Warren identified herself as Native American, including writing "American Indian" on her Texas bar-registration card and listing herself as a minority in the Association of American Law Schools directory.

Since 2019, Warren has walked back her indigenous identity, clarifying that she is neither a person of color nor a citizen of a tribe, and has stated she should not have identified herself as an American Indian. The issue gained national attention when former President Donald Trump mocked Warren’s claims by calling her "Pocahontas." In response, Warren took a genetic test in 2018, which showed she was between 0.1% and 1.6% Native American.

The renewed focus on Warren’s ancestry comes as Flanagan seeks to make history in the Senate race. Podcast host Michael Duncan noted Warren’s support for Flanagan in Minnesota’s Democratic primary. Conservative commentator Steve Guest also commented on the situation on social media, questioning, "Has anybody checked on Elizabeth Warren?"

Flanagan’s message highlights the lack of Native American representation in the Senate and her commitment to changing that if elected.

Sources