MINNEAPOLIS _ Minnesotans on Tuesday re-elected incumbent Amy Klobuchar to the U.S. Senate but the latest vote results have yet to determine whether incumbent Tina Smith or challenger Karin Housley will complete the term that Al Franken did not finish.
The special election pitting Smith against state Sen. Housley is more competitive. They vied to complete the final two years of the Senate term of Democrat Al Franken, who exited in January after allegations of sexual misconduct.
Smith, a Democrat appointed by outgoing Gov. Mark Dayton, had served as his lieutenant governor and chief of staff. Her campaign focused on her priorities during her short tenure in Washington, including a role in writing the federal farm bill and efforts to reduce opioid abuse.
Housley, a Republican first elected in 2012 to represent St. Marys Point at the Capitol, was endorsed by Trump and supported many of his policies. She emphasized her work on behalf of senior citizens, her support for mining projects and her opposition to the Affordable Care Act.
A Star Tribune/MPR News Minnesota Poll taken Oct. 15-17 showed Smith leading 47-41 percent. The poll had an error margin of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.
The closeness of the contest and high stakes prompted spending by national Republican and Democratic organizations on TV ads in the state.
Smith has said that she would run in 2020 for a full six-year term if voters returned her to Washington this fall.
Klobuchar, who has a high-profile seat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, has been mentioned as a 2020 presidential prospect. She campaigned with Democratic candidates in Iowa on Oct. 27 and twice visited the state that holds the nation's first party caucuses.
