(ABC 6 News) — Minnesota’s U.S. Senator, Tina Smith, announced Thursday that she will not seek reelection in 2026.

In a video posted to Facebook, Senator Smith said, “I have loved my job as United States Senator and also, after 20 years or hard and rewarding work in the public sector, I’m ready to spend more time with my family.

Minnesota Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan plans to run for Smith’s seat in the Senate.

Fellow Minnesota Democrats have responded to the news of Smith not running for re-election. Senator Amy Klobuchar released the following statement:

“It’s been a privilege to work with Senator Tina Smith. I’m lucky enough to call her not only a colleague, but a true friend. Tina and I have been friends since long before our time together in the Senate. We have watched each other’s kids grow up and been there for each other through life’s ups and downs. As the only Senator to have worked at Planned Parenthood, Tina quickly became a leader in Washington in the fight to protect women’s rights. Tina also bravely shared her own story as part of her work to strengthen mental health services for all Americans. Her quiet but effective governing style earned her the title the velvet hammer. While Tina and I will continue to work together for the next two years, our friendship and her legacy will last a lifetime.”

Minnesota’s U.S. Representative Angie Craig offered the following statement on Smith’s decision:

“Tina is a great friend and her leadership in the Senate will be missed. She’s a true public servant – focused every day on moving Minnesota forward. Her work to lower the cost of prescription drugs, broaden access to mental health care, fight the effects of climate change and expand economic opportunity in rural Minnesota will be felt for generations. And as women across the country continue to fight back against the attacks on our reproductive rights, her voice will be critical in the Senate over the next two years. I look forward to continuing to work with Tina to make life better for Minnesotans, and I thank her for her service to our state and nation.”

The Minnesota DFL Party is also reacting to the news. In a statement, Minnesota DFL Executive Director Heidi Kraus Kaplan said the following:

“From city hall to the halls of Congress, no one has fought harder for Minnesotans and our values than Tina Smith. From reproductive freedom to workers’ rights, Tina has been a relentless champion for the DFL principle that we all do better when we all do better. The DFL will work as tirelessly as Tina does to ensure that her successor shares her commitment to Minnesota values.”