ST. PAUL — Minnesota’s lieutenant governor and a failed 2024 candidate have both announced bids for a 2026 congressional seat after U.S. Sen. Tina Smith that she will not be running for re-election in 2026.
Sen. Smith, who has represented Minnesota in the U.S. Senate since 2018, said on Thursday the decision not to run again is “entirely personal,” saying she wants to spend more time with her family.
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Smith’s impending exit leaves one of Minnesota’s two seats in the chamber — the other held by Sen. Amy Klobuchar — up for grabs.
Flanagan and White join race
Quickly following Smith’s announcement, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan announced in an Instagram post that she intends to run for U.S. Senate in 2026. Flanagan said a more detailed announcement will come later this month.
“I love Minnesota and my intention is to run for United States Senate and continue to serve the people of this state,” she said.
The two other confirmed candidates for the seat are Republicans who have not previously held public office.
Former NBA basketball player Royce White declared his bid Nov. 7 on social media, following a loss in the general election to Klobuchar.
Adam Schwarze, a retired Navy SEAL and former Infantry Marine, announced his bid through a news release Thursday.
“I was already planning to run for U.S. Senate to replace Tina Smith’s radical voice in Washington, but today, with the good news that she is not running for re-election, I want to alert my fellow Minnesotans that they have a real opportunity to elect a common-sense, proven leader — one who puts people before politics and solutions before soundbites,” he said.
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Eyes on current Minnesota leaders
Gov. Tim Walz and Secretary of State Steve Simon have not ruled out bids, according to reporting by Sources close to Rep. Angie Craig and Rep. Ilhan Omar also told MPR that both politicians have had conversations about running for the position.
Attorney General Keith Ellison on Friday told members of the press that he hasn’t made a decision about entering the race for Smith’s seat, adding that “nobody is going to fill her shoes.”
“I haven’t ruled it in or out,” he said. “I’ve been busy. I’ve got (executive orders) to deal with from the Trump administration every single day ... So we’re focused on that, but I’ll tell y’all something within a day or so.”
A handful of legislators are considered potential candidates but have not confirmed bids: Rep. Kristin Robbins, R-Maple Grove, who chairs the newly created Fraud Prevention and Oversight Committee; Sen. Karin Housley, R-Stillwater, who ran against Smith in 2018; Sen. Julia Coleman, R-Waconia; and Sen. Zach Duckworth, R-Lakeville.
U.S. Reps. Pete Stauber, Michelle Fischbach, Brad Finstad, Betty McCollum and Kelly Morrison are also well-positioned for a Senate bid but have not confirmed intent to run.
Former politicians decline 2026 bid
A few former Minnesotan politicians, including former governor Tim Pawlenty, have already confirmed they will not be running.
“This is a prime opportunity for Minnesota Republicans to select a strong statewide candidate,” Pawlenty told Forum News Service. “I look forward to supporting such a candidate and I don’t plan to enter this race.”
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Pawlenty was the last Minnesota Republican to have won statewide office in 2006 when he was elected as governor.
Former U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips, who stepped down from Congress to announce a bid for president in 2024, released a statement on X confirming he will not be running. His exit from Congress is what made way for current Rep. Kelly Morrison’s victory in November.
“I do not intend to run for Senate or MN Governor. My calling is to build a national movement to challenge the monopoly of the duopoly, and restore common sense, competency and cooperation,” Phillips said.
Three other Minnesotans rumored to be considering Senate bids took to X on Thursday to rule out their candidacy.
U.S. Rep. Tom Emmer said he is “focused on doing the job I was elected to do and that is serving the great people of Minnesota’s Sixth District here in Congress.”
Former U.S. Sen. Al Franken said he looks forward to supporting the candidate “we nominate to work on behalf of Minnesotans in Washington.”
St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter, at an unrelated press conference Friday, confirmed he will not be running for the Senate seat, but rather for reelection as mayor.
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“I would agree that nobody can fill her shoes,” he said, echoing Ellison’s comment about Smith. “We got fantastic folks, great leaders in this community, but nobody will fill her shoes. I won’t be a candidate. Although, I am a candidate to keep my current job.”
Alex Plechash, chair of Minnesota’s Republican Party, released a statement following Smith’s announcement, saying the upcoming opening is an opportunity to flip the Senate seat — but also to win the race for governor in 2026.
“The Minnesota GOP is building the infrastructure to win in 2026,” he said. “This race is an opportunity to flip this Senate seat, add to the growing Republican majority, and ensure Minnesota families will have a voice in Washington that actually represents them. But we won’t stop there — Republicans are ready to take back the governor’s office and every constitutional office for the first time in state history.”
The Trust Project
