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Former Democratic legislator Melisa López Franzen embarked Monday on an attempted political comeback, announcing a campaign for U.S. Senate a few years after leaving the state Legislature.

López Franzen is the second major DFL candidate to enter the 2026 race for what will be an open seat due to the 

upcoming retirement of U.S. Sen. Tina Smith

, a fellow Democrat. Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan started her campaign weeks ago, with others still mulling jumping in.

In launching her campaign, López Franzen presented herself as “a champion for accessible healthcare, education and small businesses” and a Democrat who has taken more moderate positions on economic issues. She has run a consulting firm and most recently served as a senior official at the University of Minnesota. 

She said she would advocate for programs that boost the middle class.

“The stakes are high right now. There’s a lot of things happening in our political world that I don’t necessarily agree with, but at the end of the day, we have to show up to work,” López Franzen said. “We have to do a job that we have been either paid to do or elected to do, and I want to bring a voice of sanity back to Washington get the job done.”

López Franzen served 10 years in the state Senate, but bowed out after the 2022 election. She had been 

 in a district when new boundaries were drawn and decided to move on rather than touch off a battle between incumbents. At the time she had been Senate minority leader.

She said it was hard to exit elected office back then, but she feels it makes her a stronger candidate for the U.S. Senate.

“I made a difficult decision when I got redistricted to leave the Minnesota Senate, and I love that job,” she said. “It's not going to be easy, but having the background of being away from it, especially for the last two years, I think it’s refreshing, but it’s also reaffirmed my commitment to public service.”

López Franzen, who lives in Edina with her husband and two young children, said she will visit all 87 counties as she seeks the party’s support. She grew up in Puerto Rico and says her Latina heritage is key to who she is as a person but after 23 years in the state, López Franzen also identifies as a “quintessential Minnesotan” who owns a snowmobile, a cabin and is a soccer mom.

Democrats will endorse a candidate in May or June of 2026, but an August primary is possible.

“I will work really hard for that endorsement and hopefully get it, but if I don't get it, I honestly will take it to the people. I think people have the right to tell who they want to send to Washington,” López Franzen said.

For Republicans, retired Navy SEAL Adam Schwarze and the party’s 2024 Senate nominee Royce White are both running. Several others in the GOP are also considering campaigns.

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Melisa López Franzen, a former Democratic leader in the Legislature, said she will run for Minnesota’s open U.S. Senate seat next year. She most recently worked at the University of Minnesota.

Former state Sen. López Franzen announces U.S. Senate run in Minnesota

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