Peggy Flanagan (Ojibwe : Geji Waudamukwe ;[ a] [ 1] born September 22, 1979) is an American politician. She is the 50th Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota since 2019. She was elected lieutenant governor on November 6, 2018.[ 2] She is the first woman of color elected to statewide office in Minnesota, and the highest-ranking Native American woman in elected office in the nation.[ 3]
She is a member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL). Flanagan represented District 46A in the Minnesota House of Representatives from 2015 to 2019. Before being elected to political office, she worked at a political training camp and was an activist.[ 4] She is politically a progressive .[ 4]
Early life
Flanagan was born in Minnesota to activist Marvin Manypenny.[ 5] Flanagan was raised by a single mother in St. Louis Park, Minnesota . She is of Irish and Ojibwe descent.[ 6] She is a citizen of the White Earth Nation .[ 4]
Flanagan received a bachelor's degree in child psychology and American Indian studies from the University of Minnesota in 2002.[ 7] [ 8]
Early political career
While in college, Flanagan worked on U.S. Senator Paul Wellstone 's campaign, eventually becoming an organizer for the urban Native American community.[ 9] After college, she worked for the Minnesota Council of Churches and the Minneapolis public school system.[ 9]
In her first run for elective office, Flanagan won a seat on the board of Minneapolis Public Schools in 2004.[ 10] In 2008, she ran against incumbent Minnesota Representative Joe Mullery in the Democratic primary, but dropped out of the race because of her mother's health problems.[ 9] After working a handful of other jobs, Flanagan worked as a trainer at Wellstone Action, helping people who wanted to run for office in Minnesota.[ 9] She was then appointed to briefly serve on the school board again from 2010 until 2011.[ 11]
Flanagan was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives without any competition in a special election on November 3, 2015, and sworn in on November 9.[ 12]
Lieutenant governor of Minnesota
In 2017, Flanagan became a candidate for lieutenant governor , joining U.S. Representative Tim Walz , who won the DFL primary in the 2018 Minnesota gubernatorial election .[ 13] In the general election, Walz and Flanagan defeated the Republican nominees, Jeff Johnson and Donna Bergstrom. Walz and Flanagan were reelected in 2022 .[ 14] [ 15]
Flanagan supports transgender rights and providing gender-affirming care to transgender youth. She supported Walz's executive order protecting access to gender-affirming care for adults and youth.[ 16]
Flanagan was one of four chairs of the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago .[ 17]
Personal life
Flanagan has a daughter with her first husband, Tim Hellendrung.[ 18] The marriage ended in 2017. She lives in St. Louis Park, Minnesota .[ 19]
In January 2018, Flanagan announced that she was in a relationship with radio host Tom Weber.[ 20] Flanagan married Weber in September 2019.[ 21]
Notes
↑ 1.0 1.1 Lit . speaks with a clear and loud voice woman
References
↑ WATCH: Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan speaks at 2024 Democratic National Convention (YouTube video). PBS News Hour . 19 August 2024. Event occurs at 1:02. My name in the Ojibwe language is Geji Waudamukwe.
↑ Van Berkel, Jessie (November 16, 2018). "Peggy Flanagan, lieutenant governor to be, takes lead role in Tim Walz transition" . Star Tribune . Minneapolis. Flanagan's first priority is creating a board that will influence hiring and budget development.
↑ Taylor, Rory (2018-12-03). "The Nation's Highest-Ranking Native Woman Elected to Executive Office Has a Message for Indigenous Youth" . Teen Vogue . Retrieved 2024-06-21 .
↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Lopez, Ricardo (July 18, 2015). "Progressive activist Peggy Flanagan running unopposed for Minnesota House" . Star Tribune . Retrieved September 20, 2015 .
↑ Collins, Jon (January 28, 2020). "Marvin Manypenny, Minnesota American Indian activist, dies" . Minnesota Public Radio . Retrieved August 6, 2024 .
↑ Boyd, Cynthia. "Peggy Flanagan, new head of Children's Defense Fund-Minnesota, knows challenges of childhood poverty" . MinnPost . Retrieved 6 August 2024 .
↑ "Representative Peggy Flanagan (DFL) District: 46A" . Minnesota House of Representatives . Retrieved November 11, 2015 .
↑ "Meet St. Louis Park Rep. Peggy Flanagan | City South" . Community Life Magazine . Archived from the original on February 23, 2020. Retrieved February 23, 2020 .
↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 Bierschbach, Briana (November 4, 2015). "The unopposed: Meet Minnesota's newest House member" . MinnPost. Retrieved November 11, 2015 .
↑ "School Board: Lee, Flanagan, Henry-Blythe" . November 11, 2004. Archived from the original on November 12, 2018. Retrieved November 11, 2018 .
↑ "Peggy Flanagan's focus for MPS students: equity" . MinnPost . 2010-10-04. Retrieved 2022-05-21 .
↑ Montgomery, David H. (November 9, 2015). "Flanagan sworn in as newest Minnesota lawmaker" . Saint Paul Pioneer Press. Archived from the original on November 13, 2015. Retrieved November 11, 2015 .
↑ Bakst, Brian (October 5, 2017). "Capitol View: Walz picks state legislator as running mate" . Minnesota Public Radio .
↑ Taylor, Rory (December 3, 2018). "Lieutenant Governor-Elect of Minnesota Peggy Flanagan Becomes the Highest-Ranking Native Woman Elected to Executive Office in the United States" . Teen Vogue . Retrieved July 19, 2019 .
↑ "Native women and access to power" . August 26, 2020.
↑ "Make protection for gender care permanent" . Star Tribune . Retrieved 9 March 2023 .
↑ Olson, Rochelle (2024-08-19). "Minnesota's lieutenant governor named one of four Democratic National Convention chairs in Chicago" . www.startribune.com . Retrieved 2024-08-19 .
↑ "Flanagan, Peggy - Legislator Record - Minnesota Legislators Past & Present" . www.lrl.mn.gov . Retrieved 2022-05-21 .
↑ "MPR's Tom Weber reassigned because of romantic relationship with Rep. Peggy Flanagan" . Star Tribune . Archived from the original on January 15, 2018. Retrieved August 15, 2018 .
↑ "A note from MPR News" . Capitol View . Retrieved January 22, 2018 .
↑ "Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan marries former MPR reporter Tom Weber" . Star Tribune .
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