Duluth News Tribune Runs Forum Communications Endorsement of Republican Michele Tafoya for U.S. Senate
ANALYSIS · October 11, 2026
Slug: minnesota-newspaper-duluth-news-tribune-endorses-republican
Package note: This analyzes a newspaper editorial endorsement in Minnesota’s U.S. Senate race. The endorsement was checked against the editorial on the Duluth News Tribune’s own site. An editorial endorsement is an opinion. It has no legal effect on the ballot, voters, or election officials.
Primary sources
- Duluth News Tribune, “Endorsement: Independent-minded Michele Tafoya ready for US Senate” (FCC Editorial Advisory Board, Oct. 10, 2026): https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/opinion/editorials/endorsement-independent-minded-michele-tafoya-ready-for-us-senate
- First flagged by: Written by Mike LaChance at TheGatewayPundit.com: https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2026/10/minnesota-newspaper-duluth-news-tribune-endorses-republican-michele/
On October 10, 2026, the Duluth News Tribune published an editorial endorsing Republican Michele Tafoya for Minnesota’s U.S. Senate seat in the November 3 election. Sen. Tina Smith is not running again, so the seat is open. According to the editorial, the endorsement was decided by the Forum Communications (FCC) Editorial Advisory Board and approved by the company’s ownership. Forum Communications owns the News Tribune, and the same editorial also ran on its other sites, including InForum in Fargo.
Core Tension
This is a chain endorsement, not the Duluth newsroom alone. The editorial says the decision came from Forum Communications’ advisory board. The board presents Tafoya, a former NFL sideline reporter, as an independent-minded candidate who would be fiscally responsible. It also notes that she has not been endorsed by President Trump. Whether a newspaper endorsement moves votes in a statewide race is an open question.
What the editorial does
| Element | What the editorial states |
|---|---|
| Endorsement | Backs Michele Tafoya for U.S. Senate in the Nov. 3, 2026 election |
| Who decided | The Forum Communications Editorial Advisory Board, approved by FCC ownership |
| Seat | Open seat; Sen. Tina Smith is stepping down |
| Stated reasons | Her independence, communication skills, and fiscal responsibility, in the board’s view |
| Legal effect | None. It is an opinion piece |
Claims check
| Claim | Assessment | Receipt |
|---|---|---|
| The Duluth News Tribune published an endorsement of Tafoya for U.S. Senate | Verified | Editorial on duluthnewstribune.com, Oct. 10, 2026 |
| The endorsement came from the Forum Communications Editorial Advisory Board | Verified | Editorial’s own disclosure line |
| Tafoya is the Republican candidate and the seat is open | Stated in the News Tribune | Editorial and Tafoya’s Sept. 22 guest column in the paper |
| The endorsement will affect the race | Not verified | No polling or other evidence reviewed |
How coverage splits
Not reviewed for this analysis.
Context / what to watch
- November 3, 2026: Minnesota voters choose Smith’s successor.
- Other endorsements: Watch whether other Minnesota papers, including the Star Tribune, make different picks.
Publish-ready ANALYSIS · Kelvic drafter (machine draft, checked against the Duluth News Tribune editorial and edited by KVOp) · 2026-10-11 · for /analysis/minnesota-newspaper-duluth-news-tribune-endorses-republican