Republican Royce White announced on X his intentions to run for the seat after he lost to U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., this past November. Klobuchar won reelection by 16 points against White, but that's a lower victory margin than Klobuchar previously received. She had a 24-point win in 2016.

Sen. Tina Smith, who has represented Minnesota in the U.S. Senate since 2018, won’t try for another six-year term next year. An open seat could set off a scramble in both parties ahead of the midterm election.

Minnesota junior Senator Tina Smith on Thursday announced she won't seek another term in office during the 2026 general election.