Sen. Tina Smith of Minnesota, one of the Senate Democrats’ leading climate action hawks, will retire and not run for reelection next year.
Smith, 66, announced her decision Thursday, saying she made the move so she could spend more time with her family, including two sons and four grandchildren.
“After 20 years of hard and rewarding work in the public sector, I’m ready to spend more time with my family,” she said in a video posted to social media.
Advertisement
“This decision is not political. It is entirely personal,” Smith continued. “But it’s not lost on me that our country is in need of strong, progressive leadership right now, maybe more than ever.”
