Minnesota Lieutenant Governor-elect Peggy Flanagan (D) stands next to Governor-elect Tim Walz (D) as they kick off their listening tour in Mankato, Minnesota, on November 29, 2018. Photo: Tim Walz

National | Politics

Incoming governor and Native lieutenant launch listening tour in Minnesota

Thursday, November 29, 2018

By Acee Agoyo

Minnesota's first Native lieutenant governor and her running mate are visiting Indian Country after their historic win on Election Day.

The "One Minnesota Listening Tour" will bring incoming lieutenant governor Peggy Flanagan (D) to the Prairie Island Indian Community on Saturday. The session takes place at 10:30am at 1158 Island Blvd in Welch, which is the location of a tribal complex.

“Every Minnesotan deserves a seat at the table and an opportunity to have their voice heard,” Flanagan, who is a citizen of the White Earth Nation, said in a news release on Wednesday. “We want to make sure everyone has a chance to be a part of the process in helping our administration make the best decision on who will lead our state agencies."

My partner @Tim_Walz and I are hitting the road and heading to all 4 corners of Minnesota! We’re kicking things off in Mankato today, and will be traveling across the state for the next 5 days.

Join us at a stop near you ➡️ https://t.co/O1ePvayBMB pic.twitter.com/TVG4R31fXw
— Peggy Flanagan (Untamed) (@peggyflanagan) November 29, 2018

As for governor-elect Tim Walz (D), he is visiting the Red Lake Nation on Sunday. The session takes place at 11am at the Red Lake Nation College, 15480 Migizi Drive.

“One Minnesota is more than a campaign slogan, it’s a way of governing,” Walz said. The listening tour began in his hometown of Mankato on Thursday morning.

Flanagan has served in the Minnesota House of Representatives since 2015. She rose to prominence after addressing the Democratic National Convention in July 2016 and for being an outspoken support of the #NoDAPL movement against the Dakota Access Pipeline.

Walz, a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives, selected Flanagan as his running mate last year. She made history on November 6 as the first Native woman to win election as the state's lieutenant governor.

The Walz-Flanagan ticket won 54 percent of the vote, according to the Minnesota Secretary of State. The results were certified on Tuesday, with turnout ranking the highest of any state in the nation.

Donna Bergstrom, a Republican state lawmaker and citizen of the Red Lake Nation, was her party's nominee for lieutenant governor. She she and Flanagan had visited the Red Lake Nation during the campaign.