Michele Tafoya, Republican for U.S. Senate, Minnesota: Positions and Their Costs
Michele Tafoya is the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate in Minnesota in the November 3, 2026 election, a former sports broadcaster running for the open seat of retiring Sen. Tina Smith in her first campaign for public office. Her record is what she has said and pledged: she said she was "thrilled" with the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, a law that cuts Medicaid by $1 trillion and that Minnesota health officials estimate will cost about 140,000 Minnesotans their health coverage.
Tafoya's campaign site pledges to oppose repeal of the law's tax cuts, she thanked the Trump administration as it withheld Medicaid money from Minnesota, she praised Elon Musk's DOGE as it fired federal workers, and she has defended the tariffs that cost Minnesota soybean farmers their largest buyer.
About Michele Tafoya
- Full name
- Michele Tafoya
- Current role
- Former sports broadcaster of 30 years and podcast host
- Prior offices
- None; this is her first campaign for public office
- Seeking
- U.S. Senate, Minnesota, open seat of retiring Sen. Tina Smith; general election November 3, 2026
- Key positions
- Praised the One Big Beautiful Bill (May 2026); pledged to oppose repeal of its tax cuts; thanked the administration as it withheld Medicaid funds from Minnesota (February 2026); backed DOGE (February 2025); touted tariffs at Farmfest (August 2026)
What Michele Tafoya Is Responsible For
- One Big Beautiful Bill. Michele Tafoya said on Fox News's Big Ben Show on May 6, 2026, "I'm thrilled the Big Beautiful Bill reaped some results for a lot of Minnesotans" (KSTP). KSTP reported she was praising the law's tax relief on tips and overtime and its expanded child tax credit. That law, which passed the Senate on July 1, 2025 after a 50 to 50 tie broken by the Vice President, includes the largest cut to Medicaid in history.
- Health coverage. By endorsing the law, Tafoya endorsed its Medicaid provisions, under which Minnesota health officials estimate 140,000 Minnesotans are likely to lose health coverage, and adults 21 to 64 must show 80 hours a month of work, school or volunteering starting January 1, 2027.
- Medicaid funds withheld from Minnesota. On February 25, 2026, Tafoya posted, "Thank you @POTUS Trump and @VP Vance for taking action to stop this abuse" (post), and in March 2026 she voiced support for withholding about $260 million in Minnesota Medicaid funding. MPR News reported in April 2026 that the $243 million hold had not been released even after federal officials approved the state's corrective plan.
- Food assistance. The law Tafoya praised shifts SNAP costs to states; Minnesota projects about $250 million in new costs over two years, and the state auditor said at least 18,000 Minnesotans have lost SNAP benefits since it was signed.
- Tax cuts in the megabill. Tafoya's campaign site says she will fight efforts to "repeal the Working Family Tax Cuts" (campaign site), and at Farmfest in August 2026 she criticized Rep. Angie Craig for voting against Trump's signature tax law, the same law that carries the Medicaid and SNAP cuts.
- Health care questions unanswered. The Minnesota Star Tribune reported on October 21, 2026 that Tafoya's campaign ignored its requests for comment for its story on health care, and that she did not specify whether she would support reversing the law's Medicaid reductions.
- DOGE and federal workers. Tafoya said of DOGE in February 2025, "I love this idea from the get-go," and that "what is happening is incredible" (Star Tribune). That month, DOGE-driven firings reached Minnesota, home to more than 18,000 federal workers, most at Veterans Affairs and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
- Tariffs. Tafoya posted "So, maybe tariffs work…??" on January 26, 2025 (post) and in August 2026 doubled down on Trump's trade policy at Farmfest. China boycotted U.S. soybeans in retaliation for the tariffs in 2025; roughly one in four Minnesota soybean rows had gone to China.
- Social Security. Star Tribune columnist Ramstad reported on October 15, 2026 that he did not hear back from Tafoya's campaign when he asked about Social Security, whose trust fund the CBO expects to run short in 2032, cutting checks about 20 percent for 1.1 million Minnesotans if Congress does nothing.
How This Page Is Sourced
Michele Tafoya has never held public office in Minnesota or anywhere else, so this page documents her own statements, posts, pledges and nonresponses, each linked to the video, post, campaign page or news report where it appears, and pairs them with the documented effects of the policies she backed, drawn from Minnesota news outlets and the official Senate roll call. Every link was opened before publication. Last updated: 2026-10-28.
Frequently Asked Questions Michele Tafoya
What is Michele Tafoya's record under Trump?
Michele Tafoya, a first-time candidate, praised the One Big Beautiful Bill in May 2026, pledged to protect its tax cuts, thanked the administration for withholding Medicaid funds from Minnesota, and backed DOGE. That law is projected to cost about 140,000 Minnesotans their coverage.
Does Michele Tafoya support the One Big Beautiful Bill?
Michele Tafoya said on May 6, 2026 that she was "thrilled the Big Beautiful Bill reaped some results" (KSTP), and her campaign site pledges to fight repeal of its tax cuts (campaign site). Minnesota faces about $250 million in new SNAP costs over two years under the same law.
What has Michele Tafoya said about Medicaid in Minnesota?
Michele Tafoya thanked President Trump and Vice President Vance on February 25, 2026 for action against Minnesota programs, and voiced support for withholding about $260 million in Minnesota Medicaid funds. MPR News reported that a $243 million hold remained in place in April 2026, on top of the law's $1 trillion Medicaid cut.
Where does Michele Tafoya stand on tariffs?
Michele Tafoya posted "So, maybe tariffs work…??" in January 2025 (post) and told a Farmfest forum in August 2026 that "some tariffs can be used as leverage" (KTTC). Minnesota soybean farmers lost their largest buyer when China boycotted U.S. soybeans in retaliation.
What did Michele Tafoya say about DOGE?
Michele Tafoya said of Elon Musk's DOGE in February 2025, "I love this idea from the get-go" (Star Tribune), and in 2026 she did not back away from her support for the cuts. The firings reached Minnesota's federal workforce of more than 18,000.
Last updated: 2026-10-28