Tina Smith

Tina Smith is a U.S. Senator from Minnesota and a member of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL). Born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, she earned a bachelor's degree in political science from Stanford University and an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College. Before her political career, Smith worked in marketing at General Mills and later served as a vice president for Planned Parenthood of Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota. She also managed political campaigns, including Walter Mondale’s 2002 Senate bid, and ran her own marketing and public relations firm. Smith's public service career includes serving as Chief of Staff to Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak and Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton. In 2014, she was elected Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota. Following the resignation of Senator Al Franken, Smith was appointed to the U.S. Senate and assumed office on January 3, 2018. She won a special election in 2018 to serve the remainder of the term and was elected to a full six-year term in 2020. In the Senate, she serves on the committees for Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry; Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs; Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions; and Indian Affairs. Her legislative work has focused on improving healthcare access in rural communities, addressing the climate crisis through clean energy standards, and expanding economic opportunities for working families.

Senator Smith advocates for expanding the Affordable Care Act and has introduced legislation to lower prescription drug costs, including a cap on the price of insulin. She supports a transition to 100 percent clean energy by 2035 and has proposed federal standards for clean electricity. Regarding the economy, she supports increasing the federal minimum wage, expanding paid family and medical leave, and investing in career and technical education. Smith is a vocal supporter of reproductive rights, co-sponsoring the Women’s Health Protection Act to codify abortion rights into federal law. On immigration, she supports comprehensive reform and a pathway to citizenship for DACA recipients. Her foreign policy positions include strong support for the NATO alliance and international development assistance that promotes global gender equity.