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Michele Tafoya

Republican · MN · Podcast host

Michele Tafoya is a Minnesota Republican U.S. Senate candidate, podcast host, and former national sports broadcaster. She reported from the sidelines for NBC Sunday Night Football from 2011 through 2022 and won four Sports Emmy Awards for sports reporting.

Campaign Finance Information — U.S. Senator

Campaign Finance Information · U.S. Senator · August 11, 2026

Data last updated July 24, 2026

Raised
$4,669,609
Spent
$2,588,978
Cash on hand
$2,080,632
Debts
$331,512

Top disclosed occupations of direct donors

  • RETIRED$467,719
  • CEO$87,324
  • OWNER$51,941
  • HOMEMAKER$46,194
Show 1 more
  • NULL$37,650

Source: FEC · 2026 cycle · fec.gov

Track record

Immigration

· 1 record

  • Said she supported federal law enforcement and deportation of dangerous criminals during Minnesota's immigration-enforcement conflict.

    January 21, 2026For

    Source: apnews.com · researched July 13, 2026

Women's Reproductive Rights

· 1 record

  • Described herself as a pro-choice Republican and said women should be able to make their own abortion decisions.

    January 22, 2026For

    Source: wdayradionow.com · researched July 13, 2026

National Defense

· 1 record

  • Urged Americans to accept reduced discretionary spending as a patriotic sacrifice while supporting U.S. military action against Iran.

    March 18, 2026For

    Source: yahoo.com · researched July 13, 2026

General

· 5 records

  • Received the National Republican Senatorial Committee's backing and an endorsement from its chair, Senator Tim Scott.

    January 21, 2026

    Source: axios.com · researched July 13, 2026

  • Publicly backed Ron DeSantis over Donald Trump for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, calling Trump too divisive.

    September 1, 2022

    Source: newsweek.com · researched July 13, 2026

  • Joined Salem Podcast Network to host the politics and current-events program Sideline Sanity.

    May 11, 2022

    Source: investor.salemmedia.com · researched July 13, 2026

  • Endorsed Kendall Qualls for Minnesota governor and became co-chair of his campaign.

    February 14, 2022

    Source: thefederalist.com · researched July 13, 2026

  • Won her fourth Sports Emmy Award for Outstanding Sports Personality in the sports-reporter category.

    June 8, 2021

    Source: nbcsports.com · researched July 13, 2026

Integrity and Ethics

· 1 record

  • Publicly apologized after pouring beer on fans during a Minnesota-Michigan football game at the Metrodome.

    November 3, 2003

    Source: latimes.com · researched July 13, 2026

Elections

Profile last researched July 13, 2026.