Minnesota Lt. Gov. Tina Smith speaks during a news conference with Gov, Mark Dayton. She was named to replace fellow Democrat Al Franken in the U.S. Senate on Dec. 13 in St. Paul, Minn. | Brian Peterson/Star Tribune via AP Minnesota governor names Lt. Gov. Tina Smith as Franken replacement

Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton is expected to name his lieutenant governor, Tina Smith, to replace resigning Sen. Al Franken in the Senate at a press conference Wednesday morning.

Smith was Dayton’s chief of staff during his first term in office and served as his running mate in 2014. She worked in marketing for General Mills as a vice president for a regional branch of Planned Parenthood before serving as chief of staff to then-Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak, after which she went to work for Dayton.


“She genuinely likes people, and people like her,” Dayton said in making the appointment. “She has impeccable integrity and the highest personal and professional standards.”

Dayton's appointment of Smith will hand Franken's seat to a female Democrat after Franken, who was in the middle of his second term, decided to resign under pressure after multiple women accused him of groping and sexual harassment. More than half of Senate Democrats called for Franken's resignation last week after another accuser stepped forward.

Smith plans to run in a 2018 special election to complete the remainder of Franken’s term, which lasts until 2020. That means she’d be running at the same time as Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who is up for reelection next year. It will be Smith's first solo run for elected office.

“I will run in that election, and I will do my best to earn Minnesotans’ support," Smith said.

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Minnesota, traditionally a solidly Democratic state, has seen Republican gains in recent years: President Donald Trump lost the state to Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton by only 1.5 percentage points in 2016. No top-flight Republican candidate has yet emerged for either seat, but some GOP figures are working to recruit former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, who is now the CEO of the Financial Services Roundtable.

Dayton confirmed he spoke with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer about the appointment, but said he didn't face any pressure on who to appoint or on whether or not the appointee would run in 2018. Dayton also said he would support Smith for reelection in 2018.

Dayton's endorsement was joined by Rep. Keith Ellison, a prominent backer of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders' presidential bid and the vice-chair of the DNC.

"Tina is a progressive champion who will be an extraordinary senator for the people of Minnesota," Ellison said. "Tina Smith is the right person at the right time and has my full support both now and when she runs in the 2018 special election."

Asked if he had any concern about being seen as a "kingmaker" after appointing Smith, Dayton corrected a reporter: "Queenmaker."