ST.PAUL, Minn. – Governor Tim Walz has sidestepped sudden speculation that he might run for the U.S. Senate in 2026. The MinnPost, however, quoted a Walz aide that the governor hasn’t ruled out the possibility. Walz has had strong statewide support in two campaigns for governor and won favorable national attention as Kamala Harris’ running mate for the U.S. vice presidency in 2024. Speculation about the U.S. Senate swirled quickly Thursday with the surprise announcement that Smith would not run again. The only announced candidate so far is Peggy Flanagan, who has been Walz’s lieutenant governor since 2019. Other names being bandied about for the Smith seat:
> Angie Craig, a Democrat, now in the U.S. House from MN-2.
> Keith Ellison, a Democrat, now the state attorney general.
> Tom Emmer, a Republican, now in the U.S. House from MN-6.
> Al Franken, a Democrat, former U.S. senator from Minnesota.
> Ilhan Omar, a Democrat, now in the U.S. House from MN-5.
> Dean Phillips, a Democrat, a former member of the U.S. House from MN-3.
> Steve Simon, a Democrat, now Minnesota’s secretary of state.
> Peter Stauber, a Republican, now in the U.S. House from MN-8.