Michele Tafoya on Food Assistance: The SNAP Cuts Law She Praised and 18,000 Minnesotans Losing Benefits
Michele Tafoya, the Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Minnesota, praised the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, saying in May 2026 she was "thrilled" with it. Since that law was signed, at least 18,000 Minnesotans have lost SNAP benefits, Minnesota's state auditor said, and the state projects about $250 million in new food assistance costs over two years.
Tafoya also pledged on her campaign site to fight repeal of the law's tax cuts and, at the August 2026 Farmfest forum, criticized Rep. Angie Craig for voting against it, during a forum where SNAP funding was debated.
Michele Tafoya's Support for the Law Behind Minnesota's SNAP Cuts
- Tafoya Praised the Law That Shifted SNAP Costs to Minnesota. Michele Tafoya said 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 a tie broken by the Vice President on July 1, 2025, requires states to pay more for SNAP, with expanded work requirements and more frequent reporting.
- Tafoya Attacked Angie Craig for Voting Against the Law at Farmfest. At the Farmfest Senate forum on August 5, 2026, where a discussion of SNAP funding led Tafoya to invoke Minnesota's fraud scandal, she noted Craig had voted against Trump's signature tax law, the law containing the SNAP cuts.
- Tafoya Pledged to Protect the Law's Tax Cuts. Tafoya's campaign site says she will fight efforts to "repeal the Working Family Tax Cuts" (campaign site), the tax side of the same law whose SNAP provisions are costing Minnesota hundreds of millions.
What the SNAP Cuts in the Law Michele Tafoya Praised Mean for Minnesota
- At least 18,000 Minnesotans have lost food benefits. Minnesota State Auditor Julie Blaha said at least 18,000 Minnesotans have lost SNAP benefits since July 4, 2025; more than 400,000 Minnesotans receive SNAP each month, most of them children, seniors and people with disabilities, at an average of $6 a day.
- Minnesota must find about $250 million for SNAP benefits. Because Minnesota's SNAP payment error rate rose above 12 percent in 2025, the law requires the state to cover 15 percent of benefits, and the projected cost is now about $250 million over two years, money that competes with other state services.
- Counties carry more of the cost of running SNAP. Minnesota must now pay 75 percent of SNAP administrative costs instead of 50 percent, and the state auditor said counties, which register people and manage cases, are likely to bear some of it as new work rules add paperwork.
Frequently Asked Questions Michele Tafoya on Food Assistance
What is Michele Tafoya's record on food assistance under Trump?
Michele Tafoya praised the One Big Beautiful Bill on May 6, 2026 (KSTP), a law that shifts SNAP costs to states and expands work requirements. At least 18,000 Minnesotans have lost SNAP since it was signed, and Minnesota projects about $250 million in new costs over two years.
Does Michele Tafoya support the SNAP cuts?
Michele Tafoya said she was "thrilled" with the law that made the SNAP changes (KSTP) and pledged to fight repeal of its tax cuts on her campaign site. Minnesota now pays a larger share of benefits and 75 percent of administrative costs.
What did Michele Tafoya say about SNAP at Farmfest?
Michele Tafoya responded to a Farmfest discussion of SNAP funding on August 5, 2026 by invoking Minnesota's fraud scandal, and noted that Rep. Angie Craig voted against Trump's tax law, the law carrying the SNAP cost shift.
Last updated: 2026-10-28