Lt. Gov to Run for U.S. Senate

(Learfield News/St. Paul, MN) — Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan is running for Minnesota’s newly empty Senate seat after Senator Tina Smith announced Thursday that she will not seek re-election in 2026.

Flanagan posted to X, “I love Minnesota, and my intention is to run for U.S. Senate and continue to serve the people of this state.”

She says a formal announcement will come late this month.

Smith says she has loved her job as a U.S. senator but is ready to spend more time with family and her four grandkids.