# Tina Smith ## Summary U.S. Senator from Minnesota since January 2018. Former Lt. Governor of Minnesota (2015–2018) under Gov. Mark Dayton. Appointed to fill Al Franken's seat after his resignation; won the 2018 special and 2020 full-term elections. Prior career: vice president of external affairs at Planned Parenthood of Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota; chief of staff to then-Mayor R.T. Rybak of Minneapolis. ## Senate career - One full term + one partial term (2018–2027) - HELP, Agriculture, Banking, Rules, Indian Affairs committees - Core DFL progressive record; reproductive-rights focus reflecting pre-Senate career - Co-leader on rural broadband, prescription-drug pricing, housing affordability ## 2026: retirement Announced early 2025 that she would not seek a second full term. Has not publicly endorsed in the DFL primary. See [[MN-Sen-2026]] — the open-seat race features Sanders-endorsed Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan vs. Buttigieg-aligned U.S. Rep. Angie Craig in a defining progressive-vs-moderate DFL primary. ## Related KB entities - [[MN-Sen-2026]] — her open seat - TBD: 2025–2026 Democratic retirement wave (Peters, Shaheen, Durbin, Smith) ## Sources - [Wikipedia — Tina Smith](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tina_Smith)