Former Democratic state Sen. Melisa Lopez Franzen announced on X early Monday morning that she will be running for U.S. Senate.

“I’m running for the United States Senate to protect our Minnesota values, restore sanity and bring decency and common sense back to Washington,” she said in a video announcement.

The U.S. Senate bid comes after her Feb. 21 announcement to step down as executive director of Government and Community Relations at the University of Minnesota. Lopez Franzen formerly served in the Minnesota Senate for District 49 from 2012 to 2022, representing parts of the Twin Cities metropolitan area, as well as parts of Edina, Eden Prairie, Bloomington and Minnetonka.

“Our rights are being stripped away while unelected billionaires slash services for everyday Americans,” she said in her announcement. “Everything we work so hard for is under attack. So it’s time to work harder than ever before to protect the next generation.”

Lopez Franzen was elected as minority leader for the DFL in 2021, shortly before declining to run for reelection in 2022 after redistricting put her in the same district as Sen. Ron Latz, DFL-St. Louis Park. In the November 2026 election Minnesota voters will choose a governor and U.S. senator, as well as attorney general, lieutenant governor, secretary of state and state auditor.

Alongside Lopez Franzen, other major Democrats have thrown their names in the mix for statewide races. Gov. Tim Walz’s team said he is considering what could be a rare three-term governorship but is out for U.S. Senate. Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan quickly announced her Senate bid following U.S. Sen. Tina Smith’s announcement that she will not seek reelection.