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United States Senate Appointment and Lieutenant Governor Transition

1/2/2018 4:51:36 PM

Today, Tina Smith submitted a letter to Governor Mark Dayton, formally resigning the Office of Lieutenant Governor. Tina Smith’s letter of resignation is available online here, and will take effect at midnight on Tuesday, January 2, 2018. Governor Dayton’s official letter to the President of the United States Senate, appointing Tina Smith as United States Senator, is available online here.
 
Tina Smith will be sworn-in as United State Senator for Minnesota at 12:00pm EST on January 3, 2018, at the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C.
 
Additional information about Governor Dayton’s appointment of Tina Smith to serve as United States Senator is available online at this link. Video footage of the December 13th news conference announcing Governor Dayton’s decision to appoint Tina Smith to serve Minnesotans in the United States Senate is available online here.
 
According to the Minnesota Constitution, Senate President Michelle Fischbach will become Lieutenant Governor following Tina Smith’s resignation.
 
Statements from Governor Mark Dayton and Senator-Designee Tina Smith:
 
“I have worked with many superb public officials during my forty-year career; Tina Smith stands foremost among them. Tina has the highest integrity and ability. I know that she will be a superb Senator, representing the best interests of our state and our citizens.
 
“Over the past few weeks, I have greatly enjoyed getting to know our state’s new Lieutenant Governor, Michelle Fischbach. I look forward to our building a good working relationship in the year ahead.”
 
— Governor Mark Dayton
 
“It has been my great honor to serve the people of Minnesota as our Lieutenant Governor. I am grateful to Minnesotans, and to Governor Mark Dayton, for entrusting me with the opportunity to represent our state in this office these last three years. I am proud of the work we have done together to build a Better Minnesota. I look forward to continuing that work in Washington, D.C., and working hard to deliver results and improve the lives of Minnesotans as our United States Senator.”
 
— United States Senator-Designee Tina Smith
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