Senator Tina Smith Minnesota Announced on Thursday that he would not seek re -elections in 2026, forcing the Democratic Party to defend another open place in the middle of the next year and make his goal of the return of most of the Senate.
“I decided not to run for a re -election in Senate 2026,” Smith said in a social media post. “This job has been the honor of my whole life. For the rest of my term I will work as hard as possible for Minnesotane and our country. Thank you very much, Minnesota.”
Smith was named Senate In 2018, he inherited former Senator Al Franken after his resignation for allegation of sexual violation. She won a special election later that year to withstand Franken’s mandate and was re -elected in 2020 for a full six -year term.
Top political handicap reveals Democrats chances to take away most of the Senate
The Senatic Republicans promised to try and transfer Smith’s place in the Blue Minnesota.
“Minnesota is in the game, and we play for winning. Minnesotans deserve a senator who will fight for lower taxes, economic capabilities and safer communities,” ” National Republican Senator Committee (NRSC) Chairman Senator Tim Scott said in a Fox News statement.
But the campaign of the Democrats of Democrats quickly undertaken to keep the place in the parties.
First in Fox: The GOP Senate Campaign Committee indicates “efforts of team”
“No Republican won the Minnesota Senate race in more than 20 years, and Democrats will continue to hold this place in 2026,” a spokesman for the Democratic Senator Campaign (DSCC) David Bergstein emphasized in a statement to Fox News.
Chuck Schumer Senate Leader Leader From New York, the best Democrat in the Chamber, he praised Smith as “an extraordinary senator – smart, compassionate and tireless in his commitment to Minnesota and Earth.”
Senator Tina Smith, D -minn, announced on Thursday that he would not run for the second term in the mid-election in 2026. (Getty Images)
“Although I will deeply miss her leadership and friendship in Senate, I have no doubt that her legacy of the service will continue to inspire. We have a strong bench in Minnesota, and I am convinced that we will keep her place blue,” Schumer predicted.
Smith became the second Democrat in Senate, which announced that he would give up a candidate for a re -selection in medium numbers, after Senator Gary Peters of Michigan, the key state of Midwtern Battleprond.
Senate Republicans jump to a quick start in this key metric campaign
Republicans in Senate enjoyed a favorable map in the 2024 cycle, while in the chamber they transferred four places from blue to red and won most of 53-47 in the chamber. Early reading a ticket 2026 shows that it will continue to play insults in some countries, but will be forced to play defense in others.
Senator Gary Peters of Michigan, Chairman of the Democratic Senator Campaign Committee, interviewed Fox News Digital at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on August 19, 2024. (Fox News – Paul Steinhauser)
In addition to the open headquarters in Michigan, the GOP will target Jon Ossoff’s first term senator at Battleground Georgia and longtime senator Jeanne Shaheen in the State New Hampshire State State.
However, Democrats are planning to go into a criminal offense in the Blue Maine, where the Susan Collins Senator Senator Susan Collins, as well as in the Battlegrund North Carolina, where Republican senator Thom Tillis is also in the 2026.
The COOK report, a top -not -party political handicapper, rated Minnesota this week as a “probable democrat”, while discovering his first reading about the battle for most of the Senate in the 2026 cycle.
Minnesota Government Tim Walzwho performed the post of Vice -President Kamal Harris’ who led a colleague on the National Democrat of Democrats in 2024, led himself to social media after Smith’s news.
Government of Minnesote Tim Walz, Vice President of the Democratic Candidate in the 2024 election, responds during the Democratic National Convention on August 21, 2024 in Chicago. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
“Tina has always been doing a job to improve people’s lives: lowering the price of insulin, improvement of access to mental health services, adopting historical climate legislation and champion of our party for reproductive freedom. Minnesotans will miss her in Senate,” Walz wrote.
There are speculations of Walz, which is eligible for the 2026 re -election candidate at the third four -year term as Governor Minnesota, now may have an interest in the open headquarters of his country.
Smith, in a video of the announcement she posted on the social media, noted that Democrats “have a deep bench of political talent in Minnesota. A group of leaders who are more than ready to pick up the job and pass it forward. And I am excited to make them room to move forward .
Lieutenantman Peggy Flanagan headed for the start of the campaign, saying in a post on social media: “I love Minnesota, and my intention is to run for the Senate of the United States and continue to serve the people of this country. I will give an official announcement later this month.”
They are also speculated that a democratic tail. Ilhan Omar from Minnesota, a member of the so -called team, can make a move to run for the Senate.
