Democratic Sen. Tina Smith Announces that She Will Not Run for Re-Election in Minnesota

Smith I wanted you ░░░░░░░░ hear directly from me ░░░░░░░░ I have decided not ░░░░░░░░ run for re election ░░░░░░░░ the United States Senate ░░░░░░░░ 2026 I have loved ░░░░░░░░ job as United States ░░░░░░░░ and also after 20 ░░░░░░░░ of hard and rewarding ░░░░░░░░ in the public sector ░░░░░░░░ m ready to spend ░░░░░░░░ time with my family ░░░░░░░░ know when I first ░░░░░░░░ to the Senate I ░░░░░░░░ t have any grandchildren ░░░░░░░░ now Archie and I ░░░░░░░░ four and our sons ░░░░░░░░ and Mason and daughters ░░░░░░░░ law Emily and Julia ░░░░░░░░ now all living in ░░░░░░░░ so we can be ░░░░░░░░ My father is going ░░░░░░░░ be turning 95 this ░░░░░░░░ and I am blessed ░░░░░░░░ have a large extended ░░░░░░░░ of siblings and nieces ░░░░░░░░ nephews and one of ░░░░░░░░ great joys is to ░░░░░░░░ that I have time ░░░░░░░░ spend more time with ░░░░░░░░ doing sleepovers and helping ░░░░░░░░ from time to time ░░░░░░░░ the kids need me ░░░░░░░░ this decision is not ░░░░░░░░ it is entirely personal ░░░░░░░░ it s not lost ░░░░░░░░ me that our country ░░░░░░░░ in need of strong ░░░░░░░░ leadership right now maybe ░░░░░░░░ than ever So there ░░░░░░░░ two things on my ░░░░░░░░ about this The first ░░░░░░░░ that I have two ░░░░░░░░ two full years left ░░░░░░░░ my Senate term and ░░░░░░░░ plan to use every ░░░░░░░░ day working as hard ░░░░░░░░ I can to represent ░░░░░░░░ interests in the United ░░░░░░░░ Senate and make sure ░░░░░░░░ your voices are heard ░░░░░░░░ also since I don ░░░░░░░░ have to worry about ░░░░░░░░ an election a re ░░░░░░░░ campaign I can focus ░░░░░░░░ on this job right ░░░░░░░░ And second we have ░░░░░░░░ deep bench of political ░░░░░░░░ in Minnesota a group ░░░░░░░░ leaders that are more ░░░░░░░░ ready to pick up ░░░░░░░░ work and carry us ░░░░░░░░ and I m excited ░░░░░░░░ make room for them ░░░░░░░░ move forward At the ░░░░░░░░ of the day what ░░░░░░░░ m going to miss ░░░░░░░░ about this job is ░░░░░░░░ the perks and certainly ░░░░░░░░ all of the attention ░░░░░░░░ s going to be ░░░░░░░░ feeling that I have ░░░░░░░░ all of you of ░░░░░░░░ invited into your living ░░░░░░░░ to hear what is ░░░░░░░░ in your lives and ░░░░░░░░ that s really like ░░░░░░░░ you That has been ░░░░░░░░ inspiration to me every ░░░░░░░░ day that I ve ░░░░░░░░ So I m grateful ░░░░░░░░ that and I m ░░░░░░░░ to spend the next ░░░░░░░░ years figuring out how ░░░░░░░░ thank you all So ░░░░░░░░ you so much Minnesota.”