The Harris-Walz ticket wasn't a winning one, but Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz might be returning to Washington, DC, via a different route. Democratic Sen. Tina Smith announced Thursday that she will retire when her term is up next year, and sources tell Politico that Walz is considering a run for the seat. Walz, who served in the US House for 12 years before becoming governor in 2019, is also considering running for a third term as governor, the sources say. Smith was appointed to the seat in 2018 after Sen. Al Franken resigned. She won a special election later that year and was re-elected in 2020.
"After 20 years of hard and rewarding work in the public sector, I'm ready to spend more time with my family," Smith, 66, said Thursday, per MPR News. "This decision is not political, it is entirely personal, but it's not lost on me that our country is in need of strong progressive leadership right now, maybe more than ever." Smith is a former lieutenant governor, and the person currently in that role was the first to enter what is expected to be a crowded field, the Minnesota Star Tribune reports.
"I love Minnesota and my intention is to run for the United States Senate and continue to serve the people of this state," Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan said in a post on X. Walz and Flanagan have had a "strained relationship" since the November election, the New York Times reports. Others considering a run for the seat include Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar, while former Rep. Dean Phillips, who challenged Joe Biden for the Democratic nomination last year, has ruled himself out. Franken also appeared to rule himself out with a post on X saying he "looks forward to supporting the candidate we nominate to work on behalf of Minnesotans in Washington," the Star Tribune reports. (More Tim Walz stories.)
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