Sen. Tina Smith Tina Flint SmithThe Hill's Campaign Report: Trump faces backlash after not committing to peaceful transition of power Credit union group to spend million on Senate, House races Health officials tell public to trust in science MORE (D-Minn.) fended off a primary challenge from Richard Painter on Tuesday, setting her up for a special election bid to defend the Senate seat she has held since January.

With 17 percent of precincts reporting, The Associated Press called the race for Smith, who carried 76 percent of the vote at the time.

Painter, a former Republican who served as President George W. Bush’s ethics counsel, launched a longshot challenge to Smith earlier this year. He told The Hill in May that he believed his positions were more in line with Democratic voters.

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But Smith, a longtime player in Minnesota’s Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, largely ignored the challenge from Painter.

She consistently outraised him throughout the primary and reported having more than $1.5 million in cash on hand in her most recent filing, compared to the less than $83,000 reported by Painter.

Smith, the former lieutenant governor of Minnesota, was tapped to replace former Sen. Al Franken Alan (Al) Stuart FrankenGOP Senate candidate says Trump, Republicans will surprise in Minnesota Peterson faces fight of his career in deep-red Minnesota district Getting tight — the psychology of cancel culture MORE (D-Minn.) late last year, after he resigned amid allegations of sexual misconduct.

Smith will face off against Republican state Sen. Karin Housley in the November special election to fill the remainder of Franken's term expiring in early January 2021. The race has been rated by The Cook Political Report as “likely Democrat.”

Housley was the GOP’s top fundraiser in the primary to replace Smith, ending July with nearly $1 million cash on hand, and had the backing of the state Republican Party in the primary.

That appointment sets up an unusual scenario that puts both of Minnesota’s senators on the ballot in November.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar Amy Klobuchar3 reasons why Biden is misreading the politics of court packing Social media platforms put muscle into National Voter Registration Day Battle lines drawn on precedent in Supreme Court fight MORE (D-Minn.), who is running for a third-term in office, also won her primary on Tuesday, though she faced no serious challengers.

She’s slated to face Minnesota Republican state Rep. Jim Newberger in November. Klobuchar is far ahead of Newberger in the fundraising game. In her most recent federal filing, she reported having more than $6 million in cash on hand, while Newberger has spent more money than he has taken in, according to his latest filing.

Klobuchar is by and large the favorite to win her reelection bid in November, with Cook rating her seat as “solid Democrat.”

Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham ClintonFox News poll: Biden ahead of Trump in Nevada, Pennsylvania and Ohio Trump, Biden court Black business owners in final election sprint The power of incumbency: How Trump is using the Oval Office to win reelection MORE won narrowly in Minnesota in 2016, edging out President Trump Donald John TrumpSteele Dossier sub-source was subject of FBI counterintelligence probe Pelosi slams Trump executive order on pre-existing conditions: It 'isn't worth the paper it's signed on' Trump 'no longer angry' at Romney because of Supreme Court stance MORE by less than two points. The state has chosen Democrats for the presidency in each election since 1976.