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 |  |
| Website | |
Tina Smith (born March 4, 1958) is an American politician. She is a U.S. Senator for Minnesota. She has served in the Senate since 2018. She is a member of the Democratic Party.
Smith was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico. In the 1980s, she moved to Minnesota. She worked for a large food company called General Mills. ..... She then started working as a political helper for Democratic candidates.
Smith helped Walter Mondale in his Senate campaign in 2002. This was after Senator Paul Wellstone passed away. After that, Smith worked for Mayor of Minneapolis R. T. Rybak. She also helped Mark Dayton win his campaign for Governor of Minnesota in 2010. After he won, Dayton chose Smith to be his chief of staff.
In 2014, Dayton picked Smith to be his running mate for Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota. She won this election. Smith served as Minnesota's 48th lieutenant governor from 2015 to 2018. Governor Dayton then appointed her to the U.S. Senate. This was to fill the seat left by Al Franken. She won a special election in 2018 and a full term in 2020.
On February 13, 2025, Smith announced she would not run for reelection in 2026.
Early Life and Education
Smith was born on March 4, 1958. Her birthplace was Albuquerque, New Mexico. Her mother was a teacher, and her father was a lawyer. She grew up mostly in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She went to elementary school there. She finished high school in Northern California.
Before college, Smith worked on the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System. This was in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska. She later went to Stanford University. She earned a degree in political science. She also earned a master's degree in business from Dartmouth College.
Early Career in Politics
In 1984, Smith moved to Minnesota. She took a marketing job at General Mills. Later, she started her own marketing company. She worked with businesses and nonprofits.
In the early 1990s, Smith became active in local politics. She volunteered for DFL campaigns in Minneapolis. She managed Ted Mondale's campaign for governor in 1998. In 2002, she managed Walter Mondale's Senate campaign. This was after Senator Paul Wellstone passed away. .....
In 2006, Smith became chief of staff for Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak. In 2010, she helped manage Rybak's campaign for governor. She then joined Mark Dayton's campaign. Dayton won the election for governor. After his win, Dayton appointed Smith as his chief of staff in January 2011.
Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota
Becoming Lieutenant Governor
In 2014, Lieutenant Governor Yvonne Prettner Solon decided not to run again. Governor Dayton chose Smith as his running mate. He praised her work on projects like the U.S. Bank Stadium. He also liked her support for the Mayo Clinic project in Rochester.
Smith left her chief of staff job to campaign. She was nominated by her party. Dayton and Smith won the election. They defeated Republicans Jeff Johnson and Bill Kuisle.
Her Time as Lieutenant Governor
Smith became lieutenant governor on January 5, 2015. She served until January 2, 2018. Many people noticed that Smith played a very active role. She traveled around the state a lot. She supported Governor Dayton's plans. These included funding for preschools and better transportation. She also worked on rural internet access.
In 2016, Roll Call magazine named Smith as one of "America's Top 25 Most Influential Women in State Politics." This was because of her important role. In March 2017, Smith announced she would not run for governor.
U.S. Senate
Becoming a Senator
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On December 13, 2017, Governor Dayton announced Smith would fill a U.S. Senate seat. This seat was left open by Al Franken's resignation. Democrats quickly supported Smith. Franken resigned on January 2, 2018.
Elections for Senate
2018 Special Election
In August 2018, Smith won her party's primary election. She received 76% of the votes. In the November general election, Smith won against Republican Karin Housley. Smith received 53% of the votes.
2020 Election
Minnesota was an important state in the 2020 presidential election. Smith was running for reelection. Her campaign focused on local issues. These included farming and police brutality. She also took strong stands on national issues. Smith won against Republican Jason Lewis. She received 48.8% of the votes. This win gave her a full six-year Senate term.
Her Time in the Senate
Smith officially became a U.S. Senator on January 3, 2018. Vice President Mike Pence swore her in. She was with Senator Amy Klobuchar and former Vice President Walter Mondale.
On January 6, 2021, Smith was at the Capitol. This was when supporters of former President Trump stormed the building. She called the attack "dangerous to our democracy." She supported certifying the election results. She also called for Trump to be removed from office.
In January 2024, Smith sent a video to a dinner event. She joked about U.S. Representative Dean Phillips' campaign. He was challenging President Joe Biden for the Democratic nomination.
What Committees She Serves On
Smith serves on several important committees:
- Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry
- She chairs the Subcommittee on Rural Development and Energy.
- Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
- She chairs the Subcommittee on Housing, Transportation, and Community Development.
- Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions
- Committee on Indian Affairs
She used to serve on the United States Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
What Tina Smith Believes In
Agriculture
In March 2019, Smith and other senators wrote a letter. They warned the US Agriculture Secretary about problems for dairy farmers. They asked him to encourage farmers to use a special program.
Climate Change
In November 2018, Smith and other senators supported a resolution. It agreed with findings about climate change. It also supported strong actions to fix the problem. Smith was part of a special Senate committee on climate change.
Drug Policy
In December 2018, Smith and other senators wrote to the FDA. They approved of actions to stop young people from using e-cigarettes. They asked for more steps to reduce youth e-cigarette use.
In July 2020, Smith introduced a bill. ..... These included mass incarceration and too much policing in some communities.
Foreign Policy
In April 2019, Smith and other senators wrote to President Donald Trump. They said he did not understand foreign aid well. They argued that foreign aid helps reduce migration to the U.S. by improving conditions in other countries.
In March 2024, Smith asked the Biden administration to recognize a "nonmilitarized" Palestinian state. In November 2024, Smith voted to stop U.S. arms sales to Israel. In April 2025, she voted for proposals to cancel sales of bombs to Israel.
Gun Control
In March 2018, Smith and other senators asked for a hearing. They wanted to discuss the causes of mass shootings. This was after the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting.
Health Care
Smith has said she will fight to lower health care costs. She wants to make generic drugs more available. She also wants to protect people with existing health conditions. Smith supports a system where everyone can buy into Medicare.
In December 2018, Smith and other senators wrote to Trump administration officials. They argued that the administration was making health care more expensive. They said it was weakening protections for people with existing conditions.
In January 2019, during a government shutdown, Smith and other senators wrote to the FDA. They were worried about the shutdown's effect on public health. In February 2019, Smith and other senators wrote to insulin makers. They were concerned about the rising prices of insulin.
Housing and Infrastructure
In April 2019, Smith and other senators wrote a letter. They praised a housing program. They were disappointed that President Trump's budget planned to remove it. They hoped the program would continue to receive funding.
In June 2019, Smith helped create the Made in America Act. This bill would require that materials for federal projects be made in the U.S. This would help American workers.
Immigration
In August 2018, Smith and other senators wrote to the Homeland Security Secretary. They demanded action to reunite migrant children with their families. In July 2019, Smith and other senators wrote a letter. They argued against ending protection for military families from deportation. They said it would harm service members.
LGBTQ Rights
In October 2018, Smith and other senators wrote to the Secretary of State. They asked him to change a policy. This policy affected visas for same-sex partners of diplomats. They said refusing visas 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 enough trained staff. This would help protect the train and people living near the tracks.
Personal Life
Tina Smith's husband is Archie Smith. He invests in health care companies. They have two sons.
In May 2019, Smith spoke about her experiences. She shared that she received help for depression in college and her early 30s.
On July 16, 2025, Smith was hospitalized overnight for observation.
Images for kids
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Tina Smith's signature
