MINNEAPOLIS — Democratic U.S. Sen. Tina Smith of Minnesota introduced on Thursday that she is not going to run for reelection subsequent 12 months.
“This task has been the distinction of an entire life. For the remainder of my time period, I will paintings as onerous as I will be able to for Minnesotans and our nation,” Smith mentioned in a video posted to social media.
Within the video, Smith mentioned “this choice isn’t political, it’s solely non-public.”
“After twenty years of onerous and rewarding paintings within the public sector, I am in a position to spend extra time with my circle of relatives,” she added.
Smith mentioned she plans to “use each and every unmarried day” of her final time period “operating as onerous as I will be able to to constitute your pursuits in the USA Senate and make certain that your voices are heard.”
She additionally mentioned “we have now a deep bench of political ability in Minnesota — a gaggle of leaders which are greater than in a position to select up the paintings and raise us ahead, and I am excited to make room for them to transport ahead.”
Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Smith’s compatriot from Minnesota, launched the next observation:
“It is been a privilege to paintings with Senator Tina Smith. I am fortunate sufficient to name her no longer just a colleague, however a real buddy. Tina and I’ve been buddies since lengthy sooner than our time in combination within the Senate. We now have watched each and every different’s youngsters develop up and been there for each and every different thru existence’s ups and downs. As the one Senator to have labored at Deliberate Parenthood, Tina temporarily turned into a pace-setter in Washington within the combat to give protection to ladies’s rights. Tina additionally bravely shared her personal tale as a part of her paintings to support psychological well being products and services for all American citizens. Her quiet however efficient governing taste earned her the identify the velvet hammer. Whilst Tina and I will be able to proceed to paintings in combination for the following two years, our friendship and her legacy will final an entire life.”
Smith turned into the state’s forty eighth lieutenant governor in 2015 and was once later appointed to the U.S. Senate in 2017.
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