Minnesota Democratic Senate candidate Peggy Flanagan is due to attend an October fundraiser hosted partly by Dr Nathan Chomilo, the state’s Medicaid medical director since 2020. The event has prompted criticism from Republican figures, who argue that Chomilo’s association with Medicaid during a period of major fraud scandals raises questions about Flanagan’s approach to tackling the issue.

The article says Chomilo was not responsible for processing payments, investigating fraud or overseeing programme-integrity operations, although critics contend he should have been aware of problems within Medicaid. Flanagan’s Republican opponent, Michele Tafoya, is expected to make fraud a central campaign issue; the article also highlights Chomilo’s progressive health-policy views and social-media statements, alongside claims that Minnesota fraud losses reached at least $9 billion.