{"id":18489,"date":"2026-07-27T04:54:31","date_gmt":"2026-07-26T23:54:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=18489"},"modified":"2026-07-27T04:54:31","modified_gmt":"2026-07-26T23:54:31","slug":"minnesota-state-sen-john-hoffman-says-angie-craig-sought-his-endorsement-while-he-was-in-icu","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=18489","title":{"rendered":"Minnesota state Sen. John Hoffman says Angie Craig sought his endorsement while he was in ICU"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p id=\"anchor-5fd658\" class=\"body-graf\">Democratic Minnesota state Sen. John Hoffman said Friday that Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn., sought his endorsement for her U.S. Senate campaign while he was in intensive care following the June 2025 attempt on his life.<\/p>\n<p><button class=\"styles_subscriptionCTA__LOUeY\" id=\"subscriptionCTA\" type=\"button\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMjQiIGhlaWdodD0iMTQiIHZpZXdCb3g9IjAgMCAyNCAxNCIgZmlsbD0ibm9uZSIgeG1sbnM9Imh0dHA6Ly93d3cudzMub3JnLzIwMDAvc3ZnIj4KPGcgY2xpcC1wYXRoPSJ1cmwoI2NsaXAwXzM3M18yNjg3KSI+CjxwYXRoIGZpbGwtcnVsZT0iZXZlbm9kZCIgY2xpcC1ydWxlPSJldmVub2RkIiBkPSJNMTUuMTAwNiAwLjA2ODU1NTdDMTMuNTEwNiAtMC4zMDg5ODUgMTIuMDM5IDAuOTI3ODg0IDEyLjIwMjQgMi42MjQ5NEgxMi4yMDQzSDEzLjIzNDVDMTMuMjM0NSAyLjYyNDk0IDEzLjcxNTQgMi42MTkzIDEzLjg1NTMgMi45NDMzMUMxMy44NTUzIDIuOTQzMzEgMTIuMzMwMSAzLjUyMDg5IDEyLjQ1MTMgNC40NTkxMUwxMy40MDA4IDExLjM2MUwxNi43MjM1IDMuNDE3NTlDMTcuMjMwNiAyLjIxMTcxIDE2LjY2NDMgMC40MzI5NDggMTUuMTAwNiAwLjA2ODU1NTdaIiBmaWxsPSIjNjc1RUE5Ii8+CjxwYXRoIGZpbGwtcnVsZT0iZXZlbm9kZCIgY2xpcC1ydWxlPSJldmVub2RkIiBkPSJNMTAuNTUyMyAxMy45MzA1TDQuMDc2OCA5LjQxMzE1QzIuNDI4NTggOC4yNjA4MSAwLjc5ODIwNCA5LjQzNDc1IDAuNDUyNTk1IDEwLjY0OTFDLTAuMDU2NDI3OCAxMi40MzkxIDEuMDgzNzEgMTMuOTMwNSAyLjg3NTYyIDEzLjkzMDVIMTAuNTUyM1oiIGZpbGw9IiNGQ0NDMTYiLz4KPHBhdGggZmlsbC1ydWxlPSJldmVub2RkIiBjbGlwLXJ1bGU9ImV2ZW5vZGQiIGQ9Ik0xMS40MDI1IDIuNzM0NzlDMTEuNjQyIDAuOTgxMzg1IDEwLjE0MTIgLTAuMzE2NTI5IDguNTE2NDYgMC4wNjg1MjUzQzYuOTUyNzcgMC40MzI5MTggNi4zODY0NiAyLjIxMTY4IDYuODkzNiAzLjQxNzU2TDEwLjIxNjMgMTEuMzYwOUwxMS40MDI1IDIuNzM0NzlaIiBmaWxsPSIjRUQxOTQzIi8+CjxwYXRoIGZpbGwtcnVsZT0iZXZlbm9kZCIgY2xpcC1ydWxlPSJldmVub2RkIiBkPSJNOS45NTAzOSAxMi42NjM2TDYuNzYyOSA1LjA1NzM1QzYuMDE2MjcgMy4yOTM2MSA0LjA0MDI4IDMuMDc0NzkgMi45NDgwNCA0LjEwODhDMi4xNzk4MSA0LjgzNzU4IDEuNTgyNTEgNi44MjI5NiAzLjMwMjExIDguMDI1MDhMOS45NTAzOSAxMi42NjM2WiIgZmlsbD0iI0YzNzIyMSIvPgo8cGF0aCBmaWxsLXJ1bGU9ImV2ZW5vZGQiIGNsaXAtcnVsZT0iZXZlbm9kZCIgZD0iTTEzLjA2NDcgMTMuOTMwNUwxOS41NDAyIDkuNDEzMTVDMjEuMTg4NCA4LjI2MDgxIDIyLjgxODggOS40MzQ3NSAyMy4xNjQ0IDEwLjY0OTFDMjMuNjczNCAxMi40MzkxIDIyLjUzMzMgMTMuOTMwNSAyMC43NDE0IDEzLjkzMDVIMTMuMDY0N1oiIGZpbGw9IiMxM0FDNEIiLz4KPHBhdGggZmlsbC1ydWxlPSJldmVub2RkIiBjbGlwLXJ1bGU9ImV2ZW5vZGQiIGQ9Ik0xMy42NjY1IDEyLjY2MzZMMTYuODU0IDUuMDU3MzVDMTcuNjAwNiAzLjI5MzYxIDE5LjU3NjYgMy4wNzQ3OSAyMC42Njg5IDQuMTA4OEMyMS40MzcxIDQuODM3NTggMjIuMDM0NCA2LjgyMjk2IDIwLjMxNDggOC4wMjUwOEwxMy42NjY1IDEyLjY2MzZaIiBmaWxsPSIjMUU5Q0Q4Ii8+CjwvZz4KPGRlZnM+CjxjbGlwUGF0aCBpZD0iY2xpcDBfMzczXzI2ODciPgo8cmVjdCB3aWR0aD0iMjQiIGhlaWdodD0iMTMuODY2NyIgZmlsbD0id2hpdGUiLz4KPC9jbGlwUGF0aD4KPC9kZWZzPgo8L3N2Zz4K\" alt=\"NBC News Icon\" class=\"styles_icon__wRwWv\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\/><\/p>\n<div class=\"styles_textWrapper__vxvko\">\n<p class=\"styles_text__daaVB styles_textLarge__qlzwu\">Subscribe to read this story ad-free<\/p>\n<p class=\"styles_text__daaVB\">Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/rockcms\/2026-01\/arrow-f55fa5.svg\" alt=\"arrow\" class=\"styles_arrow__tnruW\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\/><\/button><\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-bc49cd\" class=\"body-graf\">Hoffman said in a statement to NBC News on Sunday that a \u201cdear and trusted friend\u201d approached him for an endorsement twice \u2014 once while he was in the intensive care unit and the second time while he was <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/news\/us-news\/minnesota-state-senator-wounded-political-shootings-intensive-care-rcna217389\" target=\"_blank\">recovering at home<\/a> \u2014 and that the friend \u201cconfirmed that the endorsement requests came from Congresswoman Craig.\u201d<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-0b2ee7\" class=\"body-graf\">Hoffman\u2019s remarks came at a campaign event for Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, who is also seeking the Democratic Senate nomination.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-9bc862\" class=\"body-graf\">\u201cWhen [Craig] said she wanted my endorsement, she was doing that during moments when our family\u2019s story had high visibility, and that\u2019s all you need to know that the difference is between the opponent that Peggy has and Peggy Flanagan. Because Peggy Flanagan, she checked on us out of her love for how we were doing and if we were OK,\u201d Hoffman<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=5kGK0I7H4rE\" target=\"_blank\"> said at a rally<\/a> Friday in St. Paul, at which Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., was also present.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-84a570\" class=\"body-graf\">Asked about the allegations, a spokesperson for Flanagan<strong> <\/strong>said, \u201cThat\u2019s a matter between Congresswoman Craig and the Hoffmans.\u201d<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-c857e9\" class=\"body-graf\">A spokesperson for Craig said in a statement that \u201cthe claim is categorically false.\u201d<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-4fc99c\" class=\"body-graf\">\u201cThe Congresswoman reached out to Senator Hoffman only expressing deep sympathy from her and her wife, Cheryl, after their horrific shooting while he was in the ICU and did not reach out again until August 5, after he began making political endorsements in other races again,\u201d the spokesperson said. \u201cThe Congresswoman continues to pray and keeps John, Yvette and Hope Hoffman in her thoughts and is grateful for their continued recovery.\u201d<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-174b5a\" class=\"body-graf\">Craig denied Hoffman\u2019s claims in an interview with<strong> <\/strong>KMSP-TV of Minneapolis, to which Hoffman responded in his statement.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-fc1e11\" class=\"body-graf\">\u201cLet me be equally clear: I told the truth about what Yvette and I experienced,\u201d Hoffman said about himself and his wife, who was also shot during the assassination attempt.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"styles_inlineImage__FvnTh styles_medium__MEKii\" id=\"anchor-946cac\"><picture class=\"styles_image__i32F7\" data-testid=\"picture\" data-flavor=\"fit\" data-original-height=\"1334\" data-original-width=\"2000\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1000px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-560w,f_avif,q_auto:eco,dpr_2\/rockcms\/2026-05\/260520-angie-craig-vl-400p-9b8484.jpg 2x, https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-560w,f_auto,q_auto:best\/rockcms\/2026-05\/260520-angie-craig-vl-400p-9b8484.jpg 1x\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 320px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-760w,f_avif,q_auto:eco,dpr_2\/rockcms\/2026-05\/260520-angie-craig-vl-400p-9b8484.jpg 2x, https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-760w,f_auto,q_auto:best\/rockcms\/2026-05\/260520-angie-craig-vl-400p-9b8484.jpg 1x\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-760w,f_auto,q_auto:best\/rockcms\/2026-05\/260520-angie-craig-vl-400p-9b8484.jpg\" alt=\"Angie Craig\" height=\"1334\" width=\"2000\"\/><\/picture><figcaption class=\"caption styles_caption__TCewG\" data-testid=\"caption\"><span class=\"caption__container\" data-testid=\"caption__container\">Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn., at the U.S. Capitol last year.<\/span><span class=\"caption__source\" data-testid=\"caption__source\">Chip Somodevilla \/ Getty Images file<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"anchor-3fa7a2\" class=\"body-graf\">In text messages the Craig campaign provided to NBC News, Craig expresses well-wishes for the Hoffmans on June 14 \u2014 the day of the shooting \u2014 and she later sends an Aug. 5 message saying she \u201cwould love to talk with you about the open Senate race when you\u2019re up to it.\u201d <\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-70df73\" class=\"body-graf\">Hoffman was <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/news\/us-news\/minnesota-state-senator-wounded-political-shootings-intensive-care-rcna217389\" target=\"_blank\">released from the intensive care unit<\/a> on July 7.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-9cac11\" class=\"body-graf\">NBC News has made attempts to contact and confirm the identity of the \u201cdear and trusted friend\u201d Hoffman referred to in his statement as having visited him in the intensive care unit.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-ff7525\" class=\"body-graf\">Hoffman added in his statement that he \u201cacknowledged\u201d Craig sent a message expressing sympathy following the shooting, but he said his campaign remarks were in reference to subsequent endorsement requests \u201cand the painful impression those requests left on our family while we were trying to survive and recover.\u201d<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-ddf142\" class=\"body-graf\">\u201cIt is dishonest to give condolences and then immediately ask for endorsement like her text showed,\u201d Hoffman wrote.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-9a0cc7\" class=\"body-graf\">State Sen. Erin Maye Quade said in an interview with NBC News on Sunday that when she visited Hoffman at the intensive care unit rehabilitation facility in late July, he shared the story about someone seeking an endorsement on behalf of Craig.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-610e0f\" class=\"body-graf\">\u201cHe had mentioned that there was a friend of his that had come, who was also a surrogate and working with Angie\u2019s campaign, and had asked him for his endorsement. We were both like, \u2018Oh, it\u2019s so inappropriate,\u2019 and he was like: \u2018I know. I think he felt really bad about doing it,\u2019\u201d Quade said, adding that the story has not been \u201csecret or private\u201d since then and that Hoffman has mentioned it to other people \u201cat various points over the last year.\u201d<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-08a6e7\" class=\"body-graf\">Hoffman added in his statement Sunday that Flanagan\u2019s contact with the Hoffmans was \u201cdifferent\u201d and said she had reached out to check in on the family and \u201csought nothing in return.\u201d<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-db0d06\" class=\"body-graf\">\u201cMy remarks were about that contrast, and I remain accountable for every word I said,\u201d Hoffman wrote. \u201cCongresswoman Craig may disagree with my endorsement. She may defend her campaign\u2019s conduct. But she does not get to rewrite what my family experienced or publicly attack my honesty.\u201d<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-61999d\" class=\"endmark body-graf\">Vance Boelter, 59, pleaded guilty last month to six federal counts in connection with the stalking and shooting of the Hoffmans, in addition to the murders of House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark Hortman. Boelter <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/news\/us-news\/vance-boelter-sentencing-man-killed-minnesota-democratic-lawmaker-face-rcna588852\" target=\"_blank\">was sentenced to two consecutive terms of life in prison<\/a> and an additional 40 years, the maximum sentence short of the death penalty.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Democratic Minnesota state Sen. John Hoffman said Friday that Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn., sought his endorsement for her U.S. Senate campaign while he was in intensive care following the June 2025 attempt on his life. Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content. Hoffman said in a statement&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":18490,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_nbcnews-fp-1200-630,f_auto,q_auto:best\/rockcms\/2026-07\/260726-John-Hoffman-minnesota-ww-1443-c05db6.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18489","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pics-news"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18489","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=18489"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18489\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/18490"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=18489"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=18489"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=18489"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}