Minnesota Sen. Tina Smith announced Thursday that she will not seek reelection, opening up a Democrat-held seat for the 2026 midterms, according to a report by Breitbart News.

"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," Smith said in a video posted to social media.

In her video speaking to the move, Smith said "this decision is not political, it is entirely personal."

"After 20 years of hard and rewarding work in the public sector, I'm ready to spend more time with my family," she added.

I’ve decided not to run for re-election to the Senate in 2026.

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. pic.twitter.com/3sWVib8nKJ

— Senator Tina Smith (@SenTinaSmith) February 13, 2025

Smith said she plans to "use every single day" of her remaining term "working as hard as I can to represent your interests in the United States Senate and make sure that your voices are heard."

She also said, "we have a deep bench of political talent in Minnesota — a group of leaders that are more than ready to pick up the work and carry us forward, and I'm excited to make room for them to move forward."

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In her recent interview with WCCO earlier this week, Smith claimed she has "a real sense of clarity that this is the right thing for me to be doing right now, and a lot of excitement for what's going to come next, and a lot of energy for the next two years."

"These next two years seem incredibly important to me. I think it's going to be history-making two years for our country and for the Senate," she said.

"I'm very worried about the path that we're on, and to be able to focus all of my energy on the work that I have here, it just feels very important. So I am not giving up any fights."

The Fallout

Following Smith's announcement, Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan declared her Senate bid on social media, promising an official announcement later this month. She also lauded Smith's Senate work.

"Senator Smith has paved the way for so many women like me throughout her entire career. She uses her voice to fiercely defend the people of Minnesota. She's fought for small businesses, farmers, and those who've been overlooked so they can have a fair shot at economic success," Flanagan said.

"Senator Smith is also an organizer at heart. She knows we all do better when everyone has a seat at the table. Thank you, Tina, for your leadership. I look forward to continuing our work together for Minnesotans."

Another Resignation

Gary Peters, a Democratic senator from Michigan, announced late last month that he would not be running for reelection. This decision created an opportunity to fill a critical position in a battleground state.

Since 2008, Minnesota has not had a vacant Senate seat.

In that year, the Norm Coleman-Al Franken election was one of the most closely contested in the nation, with Coleman losing by a mere 300 ballots.