Tina Smith facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tina Smith
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Official portrait, 2019
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| United States Senator from Minnesota |
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| Assumed office January 3, 2018 Serving with Amy Klobuchar
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| Preceded by | Al Franken |
| 48th Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota | |
| In office January 5, 2015 – January 2, 2018 |
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| Governor | Mark Dayton |
| Preceded by | Yvonne Prettner Solon |
| Succeeded by | Michelle Fischbach |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Christine Elizabeth Flint
March 4, 1958 Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic (DFL) |
| Spouse |
Archie Smith
(m. 1984) |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Stanford University (BA) Dartmouth College (MBA) |
| Signature |  |
Christine Elizabeth Smith (born March 4, 1958), known as Tina Smith, is an American politician. She is a U.S. Senator for Minnesota. She started serving in 2018.
Before becoming a senator, she was the Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota from 2015 to 2018. She is a member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL), which is part of the Democratic Party.
About Tina Smith's Early Life and School
Tina Smith was born on March 4, 1958, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Her mother, Christine, was a teacher, and her father, F. Harlan Flint, was a lawyer. She mostly grew up in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She went to elementary school there and finished high school in Northern California.
Before college, Smith worked on the Trans-Alaskan Pipeline in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska. She later went to Stanford University and earned a degree in political science. She also has a master's degree in business from Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College.
Tina Smith's First Jobs and Political Work
In 1984, Tina Smith moved to Minnesota. She started a marketing job at General Mills. Later, she opened her own marketing company. She worked with different businesses and nonprofits.
In the early 1990s, Smith began to get involved in local politics. She volunteered for DFL campaigns in Minneapolis. She helped manage Walter Mondale's campaign for the U.S. Senate in 2002. This was after Senator Paul Wellstone sadly died in a plane crash.
In 2010, she helped Mark Dayton run his successful campaign for Governor of Minnesota. After he won, Dayton chose Smith to be his chief of staff. This meant she helped him manage his office and staff.
Serving as Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota
Becoming Lieutenant Governor in 2014
When the Lieutenant Governor, Yvonne Prettner Solon, decided not to run again, Governor Dayton chose Tina Smith as his running mate. This meant she would run for lieutenant governor with him in the 2014 Minnesota gubernatorial election. Dayton said he picked her because of her work on important projects. These included helping to pass laws for the new U.S. Bank Stadium and supporting the Mayo Clinic's Destination Medical Center project in Rochester.
Smith left her job as Dayton's chief of staff to campaign. She and Dayton won the election against their Republican opponents. This was her first time winning a public election.
Her Time as Lieutenant Governor
Tina Smith became Lieutenant Governor on January 5, 2015. She served until January 2, 2018. During her time, many people noticed that she played a very active role. She traveled around the state to support Governor Dayton's goals. These goals included funding for preschool, better transportation, and internet access in rural areas. She also led the Destination Medical Center board.
In 2016, Roll Call magazine named Smith one of "America's Top 25 Most Influential Women in State Politics." This was because of her important work in the Dayton administration.
In March 2017, Smith announced she would not run for governor in the 2018 election. Many people had thought she would.
Becoming a U.S. Senator
How She Was Appointed
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On December 13, 2017, Governor Dayton announced that Tina Smith would fill the U.S. Senate seat. This seat became open when Senator Al Franken resigned. Democrats in Minnesota quickly supported Smith as their candidate for the special election in November 2018.
Franken officially resigned on January 2, 2018.
Winning Elections
2018 Special Election
In August 2018, Smith won the DFL primary election with 76% of the votes. In the general election in November, she defeated Republican candidate Karin Housley. Smith won with 53% of the votes.
2020 Election
Minnesota was an important state in the 2020 United States presidential election. This made Smith's reelection campaign very important. Her campaign focused on local issues for Minnesotans. These included farming, police brutality after the George Floyd protests, and drilling in the Duluth area. She also took clear stands on national issues. Smith won against Republican candidate Jason Lewis with 48.8% of the votes. This win gave her a full six-year term in the Senate.
Her Time as a Senator
Tina Smith officially became a U.S. Senator on January 3, 2018. Vice President Mike Pence gave her the oath of office. She was joined by Senator Amy Klobuchar and former Vice President Walter Mondale.
On January 6, 2021, Smith was at the Capitol when supporters of President Trump stormed the building. She called the people involved "seditionists" and said Trump caused the attack. After the Capitol was safe, Smith supported confirming the election results. She also called for Trump to be removed from office, saying he was "dangerous to our democracy."
In January 2024, Smith made a short video for a dinner. In it, she joked about U.S. Representative Dean Phillips challenging President Joe Biden for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination.
Committees She Serves On
As a U.S. Senator, Tina Smith serves on several important committees:
- Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry
- She leads the Subcommittee on Rural Development and Energy.
- Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
- She leads the Subcommittee on Housing, Transportation, and Community Development.
- Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions
- Committee on Indian Affairs
What Tina Smith Believes In (Political Positions)
Agriculture
In March 2019, Smith and other senators wrote to the U.S. Agriculture Secretary. They warned that dairy farmers were struggling because of low prices. They asked the department to encourage farmers to use the Dairy Margin Coverage program.
Climate Change
In November 2018, Smith and other Democratic senators supported a resolution. This was in response to reports about climate change. The resolution showed their agreement with the findings and their support for strong action to address climate change.
Digital Money
In 2021, Smith and other senators wrote to the CEO of Meta. They criticized Meta's digital currency project called Diem. They argued that "stablecoins" are not compatible with current financial rules. In 2022, Smith and Elizabeth Warren wrote to Fidelity Investments to object to a plan. This plan would allow Bitcoin in 401(k) retirement plans.
Drug Policy
In December 2018, Smith and other senators wrote to the Commissioner of Food and Drug Administration. They supported the Food and Drug Administration's efforts to stop young people from using e-cigarettes. They asked the FDA to do more to reduce e-cigarette use among youth.
Foreign Policy
In April 2019, Smith and other senators wrote to President Donald Trump. They said Trump had a "flawed understanding of U.S. foreign assistance." They argued that helping Central American countries actually reduces migration to the U.S. by making conditions better there.
Gun Control
In March 2018, Smith and other senators asked for a hearing on mass shootings. This was after the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting. They wanted to discuss the causes and solutions for such events.
Health Care
Smith has said she will fight drug companies to lower health care costs. She wants to make generic drugs more available. She also wants to protect people with existing health conditions from higher charges. Smith supports single-payer healthcare, which means the government would pay for everyone's healthcare.
In December 2018, Smith and other senators wrote to Trump administration officials. They argued that the administration was making health care more expensive for millions. They also said it was weakening protections for people with existing conditions.
In January 2019, during a government shutdown, Smith and other senators wrote to the Commissioner of Food and Drug Administration. They were worried about how the shutdown would affect public health and food safety.
In February 2019, Smith and other senators wrote to insulin makers. They were concerned that increased insulin prices were stopping patients from getting their life-saving medicine.
Housing and Infrastructure
In April 2019, Smith and other senators wrote a letter about housing. They praised a program that helps local community development groups. They were disappointed that President Trump's budget planned to cut this program. They hoped for continued funding.
In June 2019, Smith helped sponsor the Made in America Act. This law would require that materials for federal infrastructure projects be made in the U.S. The goal is to support American workers.
Immigration
In August 2018, Smith was one of 17 senators who signed a letter. They asked the Trump administration to quickly reunite migrant children with their families. They said every day of delay caused more harm to the children.
In July 2019, Smith and other senators signed a letter about military families. They argued that protecting spouses and children of service members from deportation was important. It allowed service members to focus on their duties without worrying about their families.
LGBTQ Rights
In October 2018, Smith and other senators wrote to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. They asked him to change a policy that affected visas for same-sex partners of LGBTQ diplomats. They argued that refusing to let partners come to the U.S. would support discrimination.
Railroad Safety
In June 2019, Smith and other senators supported the Safe Freight Act. This bill would require freight trains to have both a certified conductor and an engineer. This is to help protect the train and people living near the tracks.
Tina Smith's Family Life
Tina Smith's husband, Archie Smith, invests in health care and medical companies. They have two sons.
In May 2019, during a speech, Smith shared her personal experience. She talked about getting help for depression when she was in college and in her early 30s.
Images for kids
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Tina Smith's signature
See also
In Spanish: Tina Smith para niños
- List of female lieutenant governors in the United States
- Women in the United States Senate
