Democratic Rep. Angie Craig retains Minnesota’s 2nd Congressional District

Minnesota Rep. Angie Craig (D) won reelection for her fourth term as the representative of the state’s 2^nd Congressional District.

Craig’s race was called by AP News on Tuesday at 10:52 p.m. CST when she secured over 55% of the vote. Her Republican challenger Joe Teirab garnered 42% of the vote (as of 11 p.m.) in a district that incorporates much of the southern Twin Cities metro area.

Before getting elected to Congress in 2018, Craig worked as a reporter and in corporate communications. Craig was the first LGBTQ woman elected to Congress in Minnesota.

Although some election forecasters projected this race as Likely Democrat, it was seen as a competitive seat for Republicans. Teirab raised $2.39 million this cycle while Craig boasted an impressive $7.6 million in total campaign contributions.

In 2022, Craig introduced the Affordable Insulin Now Act, a bill intended to cap insulin costs for everyone covered under private health insurance and Medicare. A version of this bill was included in the Inflation Reduction Act passed in 2022, which capped insulin costs for Medicare recipients to $35 a month after Republicans rejected an amendment to also include private health insurance recipients. Craig reintroduced the full bill in September of 2023 but has been unable to get it passed through the Republican controlled House of Representatives.

Teirab is a former U.S. Marine and federal prosecutor who attended Harvard Law School. The 37-year-old has never sought public office prior to 2024, where he hoped to return the 2^nd District to the GOP. The seat was held by Republicans from 2001-19 when Craig first took office.

In September, Teirab attempted to distance himself from his previous abortion stance by saying he opposes a federal abortion restrictions. In a pro-life questionnaire conducted by Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life, Teirab indicated that there is a federal role for abortion policy.