Democratic U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar announced Thursday that she will for reelection to her House seat next year, ruling out a bid for U.S. Senate in the wake of Sen. Tina Smith’s retirement.

In a comment provided to Forum News Service, Omar said she looks forward to continuing work for the people of Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District, which represents all of Minneapolis and parts of Anoka and Ramsey counties.

“At a time when our rights are under attack, it is more important than ever to fight back against the chaos, corruption, and callousness of the Trump Administration,” she said. “I am excited to announce I am running for reelection for Minnesota’s Fifth Congressional District to keep standing up for our rights in the face of authoritarianism.”

Omar’s Democratic counterpart, U.S. Rep. Angie Craig of the 2nd Congressional District in the south metro suburbs, said after Smith’s Feb. 13 announcement that she is “giving serious consideration to the open Senate seat.”

Democratic Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan and former state DFL Sen. Melisa López Franzen are the only candidates with elective office experience to have announce their intention to seek Smith’s seat.

Various Republicans, none of whom have held elective office, have also said they will run: 2024 U.S. Senate candidate Royce White; veteran Adam Schwarze; veteran Raymond Peterson; and Mike Ruoho, a restaurant executive.

Independent Marissa Simonetti, a former candidate for the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners, is also seeking the seat.

Omar, in her fourth term, is the second member of Minnesota’s congressional delegation to officially announce reelection intentions for 2026 after Rep. Michelle Fischbach, in her third term, announced on March 17 her decision to run again.

— Forum News Service

City administrator leaving after 17 years

St. Paul Park City Administrator Kevin Walsh, who has held the city’s top post since May 2008, announced this week that he will resign on July 31.

Walsh said resigning will give him time to travel with his wife, Heidi, who will be on sabbatical this summer.

“After 17 years, it would virtually be impossible to take a month off,” Walsh said. “I’m just taking a hiatus and then I will be back out in the market. I haven’t taken a week off in 17 years.”

Walsh, who previously served as assistant city administrator of Minnetrista, helped oversee a number of major construction projects in St. Paul Park, including the construction of a new $6 million water-treatment plant to treat PFAS and the current $8 million reconstruction of Third Street between 14th Avenue and Broadway Avenue to replace sanitary-sewer, water-main and storm-sewer infrastructure.

“We are sad to see him go,” said Mayor Keith Franke. “We’ve been able to accomplish some good things and work towards some goals, you know, some of the largest construction projects in St. Paul Park history with Kevin. It’s just sad to see him go, but we’re hopeful that we can get in a good candidate and work towards the future.”

The St. Paul Park City Council on Monday night entered into a contract with Bart Fischer of David Drown and Associates to conduct the search for a new city administrator. The fee for the full search process is $24,000, according to the council packet.

In his resignation letter, Walsh wrote that the timing of his announcement was made to have the least possible disruption to city operations.

— Mary Divine

Ex-council member tapped to fill vacancy

Former St. Paul Park City Council Member Jeff Haggerty is once again back on the council.

Haggerty, who served on the council from 2021-23, was appointed to the council on Monday. He fills the seat that was vacated when former city council member Bruce Zenner resigned last month for personal reasons.

Five residents applied for the position, and the council voted 3-1 to appoint Haggerty. Council member Tim Conrad was the lone dissenter.

“It was a tough decision,” said Mayor Keith Franke. “We had a lot of good, qualified people apply, but Jeff’s previous council experience really stood out. Former council members, a former mayor and staff reached out to me on his behalf. His application was, like, five or six pages long. Compared to everybody else, he really paid attention to the details.”

Haggerty, a lifelong resident of the city, was sworn in on the spot, Franke said.

Haggerty, a senior manufacturing engineer at Abbott, will fill the remainder of Zenner’s term until the November election.

— Mary Divine