--- title: Tina Smith Appointed to Replace Sen. Al Franken description: Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton announced Minnesota Lieutenant Gov. Tina Smith will replace Sen. Al Franken following his resignation. canonical: https://time.com/5062439/tina-smith-al-franken-replacement/ author: Samantha Cooney article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2017-12-13T16:38:48.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:53:51.558Z article:section: Politics og:title: Minnesota Lieutenant Gov. Tina Smith Will Replace Sen. Al Franken og:description: She will become the 22nd woman in the Senate og:url: https://time.com/5062439/tina-smith-al-franken-replacement/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt4c9250c1529707b9/6988f4d797cdff55db6b39a1/tina-smith.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 3690 og:image:height: 2076 og:image:alt: Vice Governor of Minnesota Visits Cuba og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Minnesota Lieutenant Gov. Tina Smith Will Replace Sen. Al Franken twitter:description: She will become the 22nd woman in the Senate twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt4c9250c1529707b9/6988f4d797cdff55db6b39a1/tina-smith.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Minnesota Lieutenant Gov. Tina Smith Will Replace Sen. Al Franken > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. 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Brief is TIME's Washington newsletter, written by senior correspondent Philip Elliott. It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, three times a week. It reaches 85,000 subscribers with a 37.0% open rate as of August 2026. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ## Video: Senator Al Franken Quits Amid Sexual Misconduct Allegations [Watch (HLS stream): Senator Al Franken Quits Amid Sexual Misconduct Allegations](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/OjWFeYuC.m3u8) (3:22)  _Published 2017-12-07. In an emotional speech on the Senate floor on Thursday morning, Sen. Al Franken of Minnesota said he will resign in the “coming weeks” amid mounting allegations of sexual misconduct._  by [Samantha Cooney](https://time.com/author/samantha-cooney/)  ## Samantha Cooney Dec 13, 2017 4:38 PM UTC  Tina Smith, Vice Governor of Minnesota looks on during a press conference as part of her official visit on June 22, 2017 in Havanna, Cuba. Tina Smith, Vice Governor of Minnesota looks on during a press conference as part of her official visit on June 22, 2017 in Havanna, Cuba. Mastrafoto/CON—LatinContent/Getty Images  by [Samantha Cooney](https://time.com/author/samantha-cooney/)  ## Samantha Cooney Dec 13, 2017 4:38 PM UTC Minnesota Lieutenant Gov. Tina Smith will replace Democratic Sen. [Al Franken](http://time.com/5057462/al-franken-resignation-sorry/), who announced his [resignation](http://time.com/5054253/al-franken-resigns-transcript/) last week following [eight allegations of sexual misconduct](http://time.com/5042931/al-franken-accusers/). Minnesota Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton [announced](https://mn.gov/governor/newsroom/#/detail/appId/1/id/320303) on Wednesday that Smith, his former chief of staff, would take Franken’s Senate seat for a one-year term. Dayton said a special election for Franken’s seat would take place on Nov. 6, 2018\. The move means that Minnesota will have two female senators for the first time in its history, with Smith joining Democratic Sen. [Amy Klobuchar](http://time.com/5001246/womens-convention-detroit-kirsten-gillibrand-amy-klobuchar-2020/). “Tina Smith is a person of the highest integrity and ability,” Dayton said in a [ statement](https://mn.gov/governor/newsroom/#/detail/appId/1/id/320303). “There is no one I trust more to assume the responsibilities of this important office. I know that she will be a superb Senator, representing the best interests of our state and our citizens.” Franken resigned on Dec. 7 amid a [growing number of sexual misoconduct allegations](http://time.com/5042931/al-franken-accusers/) and pressure [from his Democratic colleagues to step aside.](http://time.com/5052304/al-franken-resign-democrats-women/) He said in his [resignation speech](http://time.com/5054253/al-franken-resigns-transcript/) that some of the allegations are “simply not true,” but that their shadow made it difficult for him to focus on his job. “Though I never anticipated this moment, I am resolved to do everything I can to move Minnesota forward,” Smith said in a statement. “I will be a fierce advocate in the United States Senate for economic opportunity and fairness for all Minnesotans.” Smith has [served](https://mn.gov/governor/dayton/smith-bio.jsp) as Minnesota’s lieutenant governor since 2015\. She was previously the chief of staff for Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Ryback and a vice president for Planned Parenthood of Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota. Smith is the latest [woman to replace a man](http://time.com/5053867/sexual-misconduct-men-women-replacements/) accused of sexual harassment or misconduct in the months since the [Harvey Weinstein accusations broke.](http://time.com/4979258/harvey-weinstein-what-happens-next/) She will become the 22nd woman in the Senate. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5062439/tina-smith-al-franken-replacement/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5062439/tina-smith-al-franken-replacement/"},"headline":"Minnesota Lieutenant Gov. Tina Smith Will Replace Sen. 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