Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan has won the DFL nomination for the U.S. Senate. Her husband, Tom Weber, was once a prominent Minnesota Public Radio journalist until their romance was exposed.
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Add BollywoodShaadis on GoogleMinnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan won the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party nomination for U.S. Senate in another milestone in her political career. On Tuesday, Flanagan defeated U.S. Rep. Angie Craig and will now move on to the general election in November 2026, where she hopes to win the seat being vacated by retiring Senator Tina Smith.
But as Flanagan prepares for the next stage of her political journey, interest has also turned to the man who has stood beside her for years: her husband, Tom Weber.
Before becoming Flanagan's husband, Tom Weber had built a reputable career in Minnesota journalism through Minnesota Public Radio (MPR). Although he became a familiar voice to listeners, things took a dramatic turn when his relationship with Flanagan became public.
Tom Weber has been a known face in Minnesota media, given his glorious career as a radio host. He is a longtime journalist, writer, and former MPR host who became particularly recognizable through his work on the station's morning programming and political coverage for nearly ten years.
Weber has also written books about Minnesota, including 100 Things to Do in the Twin Cities Before You Die and Minneapolis: An Urban Biography. Away from journalism, he has maintained a considerably quieter public profile than his wife.
When Weber's relationship with Peggy Flanagan became public in 2018, it created an obvious conflict-of-interest concern because of her political career. Weber informed MPR management that he was romantically involved with Flanagan, who was then a Minnesota state representative preparing to run for lieutenant governor.
Given Flanagan's political status, the radio station subsequently reassigned Weber from his popular morning show, MPR News With Tom Weber. They also prevented him from covering the governor's race, the Minnesota Legislature and public policy, and all areas where his relationship with a political candidate could create questions about journalistic independence.
Although Weber initially kept working after the role shift, he ultimately left MPR in June 2018, bringing his decade-long career at the station to an end. His departure came only months after his and Flanagan's relationship became known.
A year after the couple made their relationship public, Weber popped the question to Flanagan in June 2019 after a romantic dinner in downtown St. Paul. The couple married just three months later, on September 14, 2019, at a friend's cottage on the shores of Lake Pepin in Red Wing, Minnesota. Their intimate wedding was a unique one, with only around 68 guests in attendance. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who had served alongside Flanagan as governor, gave a toast at the wedding.
To celebrate Flanagan's Native American heritage, her wedding dress was designed to resemble a Native American ribbon skirt, and there was a traditional blanket ceremony. The dress also featured a medallion that had belonged to the late Sen. Paul Wellstone, whose political legacy has influenced Flanagan's career.
This was Peggy Flanagan's second marriage. Before Tom Weber, she was married to Tim Hellendrung, with whom she shares a daughter, Siobhan. Over the years, Flanagan and Weber have built a blended family centered around Siobhan, and the politician has been particularly open about Weber's role as a stepfather.
In a Father's Day post in 2025, she described him as a "heckuva stepdad and husband" and praised the quiet ways he supports their family. She also described Weber as an introvert who lives with "two extroverted silly weirdos", referring to herself and her daughter. Sharing a carousel of photos, she wrote:
"Tom Weber is a heckuva stepdad and husband. This quiet, introverted guy lives with two extroverted silly weirdos and loves us every day. He takes care of our family and shows how much he cares for us through quiet acts of service and kindness. I didn’t know a family and home like this one was possible. He’s a gift. Happy Father’s Day, Tom Weber. We love you very much."
Peggy Flanagan has been a beloved figure in Minnesota politics for over two decades. She served on the Minneapolis Board of Education from 2005 to 2009 before working for Wellstone Action, where she trained organizers, candidates, and elected officials. Later, she became the executive director of the Children's Defense Fund-Minnesota.
Flanagan was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2015 and went on to become Minnesota's lieutenant governor alongside Tim Walz. Now, after defeating Rep. Angie Craig in the Democratic primary, Flanagan is moving toward the general election for Minnesota's open U.S. Senate seat.
What do you think of Peggy Flanagan and Tom Weber's love story?
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