The MeidasTouch Podcast
Episode: Peggy Flanagan Discusses Important Senate Race in Minnesota
Release Date: November 24, 2025
Host(s): Ben, Brett, and Jordy Meiselas
Guest: Peggy Flanagan (Minnesota Lieutenant Governor, U.S. Senate Candidate)
Overview
This episode of The MeidasTouch Podcast centers around Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan’s campaign for Minnesota’s open U.S. Senate seat and the broader significance of progressive politics in 2025. The discussion touches on the state of the U.S. economy, corporate influence on politics, health care accessibility, and the importance of bold Democratic leadership in securing the future of the country's democracy.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. National Political Climate & The Need for Bold Leadership
Timestamps: 06:11–08:07
- The hosts open by sharply criticizing “MAGA Republicans” for being disconnected from everyday Americans, focusing instead on distractions and the interests of the wealthy and corporations.
- Peggy Flanagan is introduced as a leader who refuses to normalize this behavior and is running to bring real change to Minnesota and the broader Senate.
Notable Quote:
Peggy Flanagan (06:51):
“This is what happens when our leaders prioritize corporate interests over all of us in real time. They're like, just wait. This year we're going to take care of all the billionaires, and then maybe next year we're going to focus on the things that you need... But it just shows how incredibly disconnected they are from the lives of real Americans. And frankly, they just don't care.”
2. The High Stakes of Minnesota’s Senate Race
Timestamps: 07:39–09:35
- The hosts emphasize how the Minnesota race is nationally significant, not a “sleepy state,” and spotlight a powerful endorsement video from progressive Senators (Elizabeth Warren, Ed Markey, Chris Murphy, Chris Van Hollen, Jeff Merkley, Martin Heinrich).
- Flanagan reacts to these endorsements, underscoring the race as a choice between incrementalism and bold, progressive change.
Notable Quote:
Peggy Flanagan (08:45):
“It really is the choice that is facing all of us. Do we want more corporate Democrats who are going to play to the status quo... or do we want progressive fighters with a track of getting things done? I think people want us to be bold, audacious, and defiant in this moment."
3. Addressing Kitchen-Table Issues: Health Care, Living Costs, and Wages
Timestamps: 09:35–12:25
- Recent major endorsements (including Bernie Sanders) are discussed as evidence of Flanagan’s progressive bona fides and grassroots energy.
- Flanagan details what Minnesotans are experiencing—skyrocketing costs of living, especially health care, and inaccessible insurance with deductibles as high as $15,000/year.
- She calls for eliminating prior authorization in healthcare, moving towards universal health care and a $17 minimum wage, and highlights her leadership on paid family and medical leave.
Notable Quotes:
Peggy Flanagan (10:24):
“When I'm talking to folks who say that their deductible is $15,000 a year and that they just [paid] 600 bucks to go to a five-minute med check appointment with their doctor, that's completely unsustainable and that is happening right now.”Peggy Flanagan (11:09):
“We need to go big. And that means fighting for things like universal health care. We need Medicare for all. We need a $17 minimum wage so that we can catch up and keep up.”
4. Challenging Corporate Influence and Party Complacency
Timestamps: 12:25–13:53
- The hosts and Flanagan discuss the Democratic Party’s tendency to play defense or make only minor reforms; Flanagan says voters want—and need—bigger, bolder action.
- Flanagan refuses corporate PAC money, drawing a hard line between herself and candidates who say one thing but accept donations from industries they're supposed to regulate.
Notable Quotes:
Host (12:39):
“How about... take 400 billion dollars that would otherwise go to maybe killing people abroad and focus on saving lives of Americans. You would both be doing the right thing and... winning elections. That's the craziest part to me—that these are actually winning issues.”
Peggy Flanagan (12:55):
“It's pretty dishonest to say that I’m going to hold Big Pharma accountable... while accepting a check from them at the same time. People are smarter than that.”
5. The Power of Listening and Building a Broad Coalition
Timestamps: 13:53–15:07
- Flanagan highlights the importance of listening—at her events, she hears from Democrats, independents, and even Republicans who are motivated by frustration and fear, not traditional party lines.
- She shares her own background of economic insecurity, relating to what many Americans are feeling, and stresses the need for more senators who “understand what that's like.”
Notable Quote:
Peggy Flanagan (14:23):
“People just want to be heard and they want to know that someone is in their corner and fighting for them. [...] There are so many people who feel that way right now and not enough folks in Washington D.C., and certainly not in the Senate, who understand what that's like.”
Memorable Moments & Quotes
The “Tough Cookie” Compliment
Peggy Flanagan (14:10):
“In Minnesota, calling someone a tough cookie is a real compliment. [...] People just want to be heard and they want to know that someone is in their corner and fighting for them.”
Policy Clarity and Directness
Host (12:25):
“Yeah, tax the rich more. How do you pay for it? By taxing the rich more. Let's start by making the rich pay their fair share and then tax them more.”
Flanagan’s Closing Invitation
Peggy Flanagan (15:10):
“Folks can visit Peggy Flanagan.com and we’d love to have you join Team Peggy along with these great senators who’ve endorsed us so far.”
Key Timestamps
- 06:11 — Peggy Flanagan joins, discusses disconnect in national leadership
- 07:39 — Hosts showcase national progressive endorsements
- 08:45 — Flanagan on why the Minnesota Senate race matters
- 09:35 — Bernie Sanders’ endorsement & focusing on real issues
- 10:24 — Stories from Minnesotans about crushing healthcare costs
- 11:09 — Flanagan’s policy solutions: universal health care, $17 minimum wage
- 12:55 — Taking on corporate PAC money & Big Pharma
- 13:53 — The importance of listening to all voters ("tough cookie" anecdote)
- 15:10 — Flanagan’s campaign call to action
Tone & Energy
This episode blends urgency and humor typical of the Meiselas brothers, with Flanagan’s plainspoken, passionate advocacy. The tone is unapologetically progressive, focused on delivering clear contrasts—incrementalism vs. bold action, corporate status quo vs. grassroots leadership. Flanagan’s warmth and practical grounding balance well with the hosts’ pointed critiques and encouragement.
Summary prepared for those looking to understand the political stakes in Minnesota, the resurgence of unapologetic progressive leadership, and the practical challenges facing working Americans today.