Minnesota sen. Tina Smith is not looking for re -election in 2026

Cnn
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Minnesota’s Democratic Senator Tina Smith announced on Thursday that she will not apply for re -election in 2026, a decision that could open a competitive democratically primary, as the party faces a challenging Senate card next year.

“I have decided not to drive for re -election to the Senate in 2026,” Smith wrote on social media, Sharing a video with her message. “This job has been the credit for a lifetime. For the rest of my period I work as hard as I can for Minnesotans and our country. ”

It opens a senate seat in a state that has shown signs of erosion for Democrats, despite Minnesota’s long history of voting Blue. President Joe Biden won the state with 7 points in 2020, while Vice President Kamala Harris won by 4 points in 2024. Smith won his race in 2020 with approx. 5 points.

And it follows the exit from another Midwestern -Democrat, Michigan Sen. Gary Peters, who announced last month, that he did not apply for re -election in 2026 either.

The prospect of defending two open spaces in 2026, when the Democrats had previously expected the benefit of incummacency, could strain the party’s campaign budget and threaten the efforts to expand its current 47-seat minority. And both races occur in states moving towards Republicans in 2024.

Spokesman for the Democratic Senative Senative Campaign Committee David Bergstein responded to Smith’s decision in a statement and said, “No Republican has won a Minnesota Senate race of over 20 years, and Democrats will continue to keep this seat in 2026.”

Meanwhile, Smith’s decision has offset a crib to fight for his seat, similar to the process playing out in Michigan following Peters’ announcement. Almost an hour after Smith’s announcement, the State’s Democratic Lieutenant Governor, Peggy Flanagan, announced his intention to start a campaign for the Senate.

“I love Minnesota, and my intention is to drive for the US Senate and continue to serve the population of that state. I will be announcing a formal message later this month. In the meantime, I talk to community and my family and friends. I want more to say soon, ”Flanagan wrote On social media.

In addition, Minnesota’s current Democratic Head of Government Tim Walz, who rose to national appearance as Harris’ running buddy, is still entitled to run for a third period in 2026. But Walz has not excluded a Senate Race, a person familiar with his Thinking told CNN on Thursday morning, though he also looks at a possible race for a third period in his current job next year. It is also possible, the person CNN said that the vice president’s nominees 2024 will choose not to run for anything at all.

Other Democratic challengers include state attorney Keith Ellison, who previously represented the State’s 5th Congress District and served as Democratic National Committee’s Deputy; Rep. Angie Craig; and former rep. Dean Phillips, who mounted a failed 2024 primary challenge against the bite.

CNNS Edward-Isaac Dover contributed to this report.