Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) backed Minnesota Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan for the upcoming Minnesota Democratic Senate primary in May. The endorsement seems to carry a weightier implication, as there have been controversies surrounding Warren’s claims about her Indigenous heritage.
Over the years, Warren has faced scrutiny for asserting her identity as an American Indian, with some alleging that it was for personal benefit. Key moments include:
- Warren listed herself as “American Indian” on her Texas Bar Admission application while working at the University of Texas School of Law.
- She convinced the University of Pennsylvania School of Law to categorize her as “Native American” instead of “white.”
- At Harvard Law School, she was also identified as American Indian.
- She contributed a recipe to a cookbook titled “powwow chow,” which was marketed as a compilation of “family recipes from the five tribes.”
When Warren first campaigned for the U.S. Senate in 2012, she stated to reporters, “I think being Native American has been part of my story since I was born.”
However, this narrative unraveled, especially with President Donald Trump, who famously challenged her to take a DNA test to validate her claims. The test indicated that if Warren had any Native American ancestry, it was minimal, at roughly 1/1024.
Warren’s struggle with her identity has inadvertently opened a path for Flanagan, who now aims to frame her potential victory as groundbreaking. Flanagan was raised by a white mother but took inspiration from her late father, Marvin Manypenny, recognized as an advocate for American Indian sovereignty and upbringing on the White Earth Reservation in Minnesota.
Throughout her political journey, Flanagan has emphasized her Indigenous roots, especially as the midterm elections approach. She participated in the Democratic National Convention’s Native American caucus alongside Warren in 2020, and she often showcases her heritage, wearing traditional beaded earrings and sharing her familial connections to the White Earth Nation.
Her campaign emphasizes her identity, as noted on her website, stating, “Born to an Indigenous and Irish family, Peggy is Ojibwe and a member of the White Earth Nation.” Flanagan highlighted in a social media post that, “In almost 250 years, a Native American woman has never served in the United States Senate,” reflecting on her hopes for her daughter regarding representation in government.
After securing her party’s nomination, Flanagan’s campaign reiterated the significance of her potential role: “My friends, in almost 250 years, a Native American woman has never served in the U.S. Senate. It’s time to change that,” as reported by various sources.
This effort to take on Warren’s previous label as the unofficial Indigenous spokesperson has not gone unnoticed online, with various reactions and jokes surfacing about Warren’s previous claims.
In the upcoming general election, Flanagan will face off against Michele Tafoya, a former sports journalist with a platform includes issues like tax cuts and immigration control.
