Politics & Government
MN Sen. Tina Smith: I Will Not Run For Reelection
The Democratic U.S. Senator from Minnesota said she will not seek reelection during the 2026 midterms.
ST. PAUL, MN — Democratic Sen. Tina Smith of Minnesota announced Thursday that she will not seek reelection in 2026, opening the door to competitive primaries for both Democrats and Republicans in the state.
Smith, 66, cited her desire to spend more time with her children and grandchildren.
"I’ve decided not to run for re-election to the Senate in 2026," Smith said on social media Thursday morning. "This job has been the honor of a lifetime. For the rest of my term, I’ll work as hard as I can for Minnesotans and our country. Thank you so much, Minnesota."
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Smith was appointed by then-Gov. Mark Dayton in December 2017 to succeed Al Franken, who resigned following allegations of sexual harassment.
She went on to win a special election in 2018 and secured a full six-year term in 2020.
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