Dem Senator Announces She Won’t Seek Re-Election In 2026

Minnesota Democratic Sen. Tina Smith made a surprising announcement on Thursday, revealing that she will not seek reelection in 2026.

In a video shared on the social media platform X, Smith expressed that she has "loved" serving as a U.S. senator but now wants to dedicate more time to her family, including her four grandchildren.

“I wanted you to hear directly from me that I have decided not to run for re-election in the United States Senate in 2026. I’ve loved my job as a United States senator. And also, after 20 years of hard and rewarding work in the public sector, I’m ready to spend more time with my family. You know when I first came into this Senate I didn’t have any grandchildren, and now Archie and I have four. Our sons, Sam & Mason, and daughters-in-law Emily and Julia are all living in Minneapolis,” Smith stated.

“So we can be together. My father is turning 95 this summer, and I am blessed to have a large extended family of siblings, nieces, and nephews. One of my great joys is knowing that to spend more time with them—doing sleepovers and helping out when the kids need me—is not just political; it is entirely personal. But it’s not lost on me that our country needs strong progressive leadership right now, maybe more than ever. So there are two things on my mind about this. The first is that I have two, nearly two full years left in my Senate term, and I plan to use every single day working as hard as I can to represent your interests at the United States Senate and make sure your voices,” she continued.

“Since I don’t have to worry about running an election or a re-election campaign, I can focus entirely on this job right now. Second, 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,” she added.

“At the end of the day, what I’m going to miss most about this job is not the perks or certainly not all the attention; it’s going to be that has been an inspiration to me every single day that I’ve served, so I’m grateful for that, and I’m going to spend the next two years figuring out how. Thank you all so thank,” she concluded.

WATCH:

In 2020, Smith secured victory over Jason Lewis, a former radio DJ turned Republican politician, by nearly six percentage points, earning a full six-year term.

Her announcement follows the decision by Michigan Democratic Sen. Gary Peters to forgo a third term in 2026, opening up a key battleground seat.

At 66, Peters’ unexpected move to step down after two terms presents a challenge for Michigan Democrats, who may now have to distribute their resources between the Senate and gubernatorial races in 2026.

“I always thought there would be a time that I would step aside and pass the reins for the next generation. I also never saw service in Congress as something you do your whole life,” Peters told The Detroit News in an interview published Tuesday.

“And that goes back to 2008 when I first won that House seat. I thought it would be for a matter of a few terms that I would serve, and then I would go back to private life. I want to be very clear: I’m not retiring. I’m just not running for reelection in the Senate. I hope, God willing, I have a lot more good years ahead,” he added.

“After three terms in the House and two terms in the Senate, I believe now is time for me to write a few more paragraphs in my current chapter and then turn over the reins,” Peters said in a YouTube video. “I will therefore not seek reelection in 2026.”

With President Trump having won Michigan in the 2024 election, Peters’ departure makes it more challenging for Democrats to regain the Senate, as Republicans currently hold a 53-47 majority. This will require them to defend a crucial Michigan seat without the advantage of an incumbent.

Pete Buttigieg, former U.S. transportation secretary and a recent Michigan resident, is widely expected to be a top contender for the seat.