MINNEAPOLIS — Democratic U.S. Sen. Tina Smith of Minnesota announced on Thursday that she will not run for reelection next year.
“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 a video posted to social media 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.
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.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Smith’s compatriot from Minnesota, released the following statement:
“It’s been a privilege to work with Senator Tina Smith. I’m lucky enough to call her not only a colleague, but a true friend. Tina and I have been friends since long before our time together in the Senate. We have watched each other’s kids grow up and been there for each other through life’s ups and downs. As the only Senator to have worked at Planned Parenthood, Tina quickly became a leader in Washington in the fight to protect women’s rights. Tina also bravely shared her own story as part of her work to strengthen mental health services for all Americans. Her quiet but effective governing style earned her the title the velvet hammer. While Tina and I will continue to work together for the next two years, our friendship and her legacy will last a lifetime.”
Smith became the state’s 48th lieutenant governor in 2015 and was later appointed to the U.S. Senate in 2017.
This is a developing story, so check back for more.