Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN) announced she would not seek reelection to her seat in the Senate next year, setting up rampant speculation on who could compete for the open election in the North Star State. Minnesota is not one of the traditional swing states,

Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) is not ruling out a run for U.S. Senate in 2026 after Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minn.) said Thursday she doesn't plan to run again, Axios has learned. Why it matters: The progressive "Squad" member would enter the race with instantly high name recognition and thus could be a force to be reckoned with.

Tina Smith's announcement that she won't run again in 2026 could tee up a high-profile battle royale featuring some of Minnesota's biggest political stars. The big picture: Open statewide seats are rare — the last time a U.