Michele Tafoya, former sideline reporter for NBC Sports’ Sunday Night Football, announced that she is running for an open U.S. Senate seat in Minnesota.
Tafoya, a Republican, posted on social media, “For years, I walked the sidelines when the pressure was mounting and stakes were the highest. That job taught me about more that football. It taught me about how leadership really works.”
Among other things, her video targets Minnesota Governor Tim Walz amid the state’s fraud scandal, as well as Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) as one of the politicians “undermining and attacking police officers.” The video does tout her support for “deporting dangerous criminals,” including an image of an ICE agent. The Trump administration has flooded the state with immigration agents, but U.S. citizens have been swept up in their raids.
Overall, Tafoya casts herself as a political outsider with “common sense,” and her video has a heavy emphasis on affordability issues. Donald Trump does not appear.
Tafoya was sideline reporter for Sunday Night Football from 2011 to 2022. She previously worked for CBS Sports, ABC Sports and ESPN, as well as local stations.
She will face a crowded field in the GOP primary, including David Hann, former Minnesota Senate minority leader, and Royce White, former NBA player.
Tafoya was quickly endorsed by Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee.
“Michele is the only candidate with the common-sense leadership Minnesotans are desperately craving, and her message of safety, opportunity, and prosperity would be a welcome addition to our Senate majority,” Scott said in a statement.
Rep. Angie Craig (D-MN) and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan are running in the Democratic primary.
Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN) announced last year that she would not seek another term.
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