Minnesota U-S Senator Tina Smith announced Thursday (2/13) that she will not be running for reelection in 2026. She has decided to retire from the senate at the conclusion of her term.
Senator Smith has held her seat since 2018. Prior to her time on the senate, Smith served under Governor Mark Dayton, who appointed her to lieutenant governor after Senator Al Franken resigned.
Smith is originally from the state of New Mexico but has lived in Minnesota since being hired by General Mills in the 1980s. She eventually went into politics, joining former Governor Dayton as his running mate in 2014. She has also served as a gubernatorial chief of staff, Minneapolis mayoral adviser, and state director of Planned Parenthood of Minnesota.
In a video statement, Senator Smith stated that her decision is not a political one, but a personal one, choosing to spend more time with her family. Smith and her husband Archie live in Minneapolis. They have two adult sons and four grandchildren.
