(MINNEAPOLIS, MINN) – The race for the Democratic nod to replace Minnesota Senator Tina Smith has one fewer candidate.
Former Minnesota Senate Minority Leader Melisa Lopez Franzen announced Friday that she’s stepping away from her campaign to replace the outgoing U.S. Senator.
“I launched my campaign for the U.S. Senate because I believe leadership is about showing up — listening, learning, and taking action,” she said in a post on social media. “Over the past months, I’ve connected with Minnesotans across the state: on farms, in coffee shops, at protests, and in small businesses. What I heard was clear — people want safe communities, economic fairness, and a government that delivers.”
In announcing she’s ending her campaign, she said the decision ‘is not about stepping back.’
“It’s about stepping with intention into the space where I can have the greatest impact,” Lopez Franzen said. “The work continues — just through a different path. Our shared values and the urgency of this moment demand nothing less.”
Those who remain in the race are Democrats Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan and Representative Angie Craig and Republicans including former NBA player Royce White and former Navy SEAL Adam Schwarze.
