- PAUL, Minn. /December 13, 2017 (AP)(STL.NEWS) — The Latest on Gov. Mark Dayton’s appointment of a replacement for Minnesota Sen. Al Franken (all times local):
10:45 a.m.
Minnesota’s next U.S. senator, Tina Smith, says she “shouldn’t be underestimated” in a special election next year to complete the last two years of Democratic Sen. Al Franken’s term.
Smith, Minnesota’s Democratic lieutenant governor, was appointed Wednesday by Gov. Mark Dayton to fill Franken’s seat until that special election.
Smith passed up an expected run for governor last spring, raising questions about whether she’s prepared for a grueling Senate fight.
When Smith was asked at a news conference about raising millions for the race, she shot back sharply, “I shouldn’t be underestimated and if I weren’t confident, I wouldn’t be doing this.”
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10:15 a.m.
The woman who has been appointed to Minnesota Sen. Al Franken’s seat says she will also run in a special election next year to complete Franken’s term.
Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton on Wednesday announced that Lt. Gov. Tina Smith would fill Franken’s seat until the November election.
Smith said at a news conference, “I will run in that election and I will do my best to earn Minnesotans’ support.”
National Democrats had pressed Dayton to appoint someone who would benefit from the appointment in next year’s special election, rather than just a placeholder.
Franken announced last week he would resign over allegations of improper behavior from several women. His term runs through 2020.
Smith served as Dayton’s trusted chief of staff for three years before ascending to become his No. 2.
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10 a.m.
Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton has appointed Lt. Gov. Tina Smith to fill Sen. Al Franken’s seat until the November election.
Dayton’s announcement Wednesday had been widely expected. Smith served as Dayton’s trusted chief of staff for three years before ascending to become his No. 2.
She was once considered a likely candidate to succeed him, but had announced in the spring that she wouldn’t run for governor. However, she is expected to run in the November special election to complete Franken’s term through 2020. Dayton had come under intense pressure from top Democrats in Washington to appoint someone who wouldn’t merely serve as a seat-warmer.
Franken announced last week he would resign over allegations of improper behavior from several women. He hasn’t yet set a date to leave Congress.
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8 a.m.
A Democratic operative with knowledge of the appointment says Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton has chosen Lt. Gov. Tina Smith to fill Sen. Al Franken’s seat until the November election — and Smith will run in that election to complete Franken’s term through 2020.
The operative spoke on condition of anonymity because the operative wasn’t authorized to speak ahead of an official announcement, scheduled for 10 a.m. Wednesday in St. Paul.
A senior Democratic aide in the Senate also confirmed Smith as the appointee, speaking on condition of anonymity because the person wasn’t authorized to talk publicly ahead of the announcement.
Smith was Dayton’s chief of staff before she ascended to become his running mate in the 2014 election. She was the presumed front-runner from the moment Franken announced last week he would step down over allegations of sexual misconduct.
He hasn’t yet set a date to leave Congress.
Minnesota Public Radio and the Minneapolis Star Tribune, citing Democratic sources they did not name, also reported that Smith was the choice.
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Associated Press writer Kyle Potter in St. Paul, Minnesota, and Alan Fram in Washington, D.C., contributed to this item.
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12:02 a.m.
Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton is set to name his choice to replace Al Franken in the U.S. Senate, with the top contender seen as Democratic Lt. Gov. Tina Smith.
Dayton was expected to make the appointment Wednesday, nearly a week after Franken announced his plan to resign over allegations of sexual misconduct.
Dayton’s pick will serve until a special election next year to decide who completes Franken’s term ending in 2020.
Smith didn’t respond to messages Tuesday seeking comment about the possible appointment.
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By Associated Press, published on STL.NEWS by St. Louis Media, LLC (AS)
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