Democrat in key Senate primary says she ‘regrets’ vote on Laken Riley Act, draws GOP backlash

Democratic Rep. Angie Craig, running for a Senate seat in Minnesota, penned an article this week explaining her “regret” for voting for the Laken Riley Act, sparking criticism from conservatives online and from her Republican opponents.

“I never thought the Laken Riley Act was a perfect bill, as it allowed for detention of certain violent as well as nonviolent offenses,” Craig wrote in the Minnesota Star Tribune this week about the legislation, named after a nursing student who was murdered during a jog on the University of Georgia’s campus by an illegal immigrant.

“The text of the bill did not include the word deportation. I made the difficult decision to vote for it. Democrats like Sens. Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego, Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff — leaders I deeply respect — all came to the same conclusion. But as I stood side by side with protesters on the streets of Minneapolis and opposite dozens of armed Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents at the Whipple Federal Building after Renee Good’s killing — and again after the killing of Alex Pretti — I couldn’t help but question whether I made the right call last year.”

Craig went on to explain that it has “become clear that supporting any bill that gives ICE new authority in this administration was the wrong decision “and I regret my vote.”

Craig’s reversal, as she runs in a Senate Democratic primary against Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, prompted immediate pushback both on social media and from the candidate also vying for the same Senate seat in the Republican primary.

“This reaction from Angie Craig epitomizes the spineless weakness that voters despise. She would rather placate to the extremists in her own political party than keep Minnesotans safe,” Republican Senate candidate Adam Schwarze told Fox News Digital. 

MEET THE MINNESOTANS KILLED BY ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS THAT WALZ, DEMS NEVER HELD NEWS CONFERENCES OR VIGILS FOR

“If there’s one thing voters should know heading into midterms, it’s that politicians like Angie represent the most dangerous Democrat Party to ever run for office. Period.” 

“What is wrong with you, @RepAngieCraig?” the Trump White House rapid response team posted on X. “This is sick and demented.”

Republican Michele Tafoya, also running for Senate, posted on X that Craig “would rather protect violent illegal immigrants than law-abiding Minnesotans.”

“So the position of @RepAngieCraig is to RELEASE illegal aliens arrested for theft, burglary, assaulting police, or causing serious bodily injury? “GOP Congresswoman Tom Tiffany posted on X. “Minnesota madness has hit a whole new level.”

Craig responded to Tafoya on X: “Michele Tafoya endorsed, supported, and enabled ICE’s violent occupation of MN that left two people dead and our communities in mourning.  She’s nothing more than a rubber stamp for Donald Trump —  who would keep tearing our neighborhoods apart — not bring us together.”

Craig was one of 46 House Democrats to support the Laken Riley Act last year, which was the first piece of legislation to become law in President Donald Trump’s second administration, which he signed shortly after taking office.

“This horrific atrocity should never have been allowed to happen,” Trump told reporters ahead of signing the legislation. “And as president, I’m fighting every single day to ensure that such a tragedy never happens again.”

The measure directs Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to detain illegal immigrants arrested or charged with theft-related crimes, or those accused of assaulting a police officer. 

Craig will square off against Flanagan in the Aug. 11 primary in race where both candidates have positioned themselves as fierce opponents of ICE in the aftermath of the shooting deaths of Alex Pretti and Renee Good during interactions with federal immigration agents.

Flanagan, a leading progressive, took some political fire over the massive and developing Minnesota fraud scandal from Craig earlier this year when the congresswoman suggested she’d be a better fit as the party’s Senate nominee since she isn’t tied directly to the fraud crisis, according to reporting from the Minnesota Star Tribune.

“We absolutely can’t afford to let her be the nominee and put this Senate seat at risk,” Craig argued, as she pointed to Flanagan.

And taking to social media, Craig touted, “I’m the only Democrat in the race who will keep this Senate seat blue.”

Already a top target for the GOP, Republicans are increasingly optimistic they can flip the Democrat-controlled open Senate seat in Minnesota, vacated by retiring Sen. Tina Smith. 

Fox News Digital’s Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.

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