Minnesota's Peggy Flanagan could become nation's first female indigenous governor

Aug. 6 (UPI) -- Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan might become the nation's first female indigenous governor, depending on how Gov. Tim Walz handles campaigning and the Nov. 5 election's outcome.

If Walz resigns his governorship to campaign alongside Democratic Party presumptive nominee Vice President Kamala Harris and if Harris defeats former President Donald Trump in the general election, Flanagan would become Minnesota's governor.

Flanagan is a member of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe Tribe and already has the distinction of holding the highest office of any aboriginal tribal member in the United States.

Walz has more than two years remaining in his term as governor and does not have to resign while campaigning for Harris.

If Trump wins the general election, Walz could remain Minnesota's governor and seek re-election after his current term expires in 2026. Minnesota does not have term limits.

If Harris wins, the state's succession laws would make Flanagan the state's governor for the remainder or Walz's current term.

Minnesota has had eight lieutenant governors become governor due to resignations or deaths of seated governors.

Flanagan's potential successor as lieutenant governor isn't as clear but could be Sen. Bobby Joe Champion, D-Minneapolis, who is the state's current Senate president.

The party that controls the Minnesota Senate has a lot of say in who succeeds to the lieutenant governor's seat, but the state Senate is evenly split among Democrats and Republicans with 33 seats each.

Former Sen. Kelly Morrison, D-Deephaven, resigned to seek election to Minnesota's 3rd Congressional District, so a special election could determine which party controls the state Senate by one seat and affect the succession.

Champion also might choose not to accept the assignment and instead remain a state senator.

Flanagan's family recently endured a COVID-related tragedy when her brother took ill and died on March 21, 2020.

Her brother, Ron Golden, had been battling cancer but died in Tennessee after contracting COVID-19 .