Amy Klobuchar is Minnesota’s next governor. What happens to her Senate seat?

Key Points:

• Amy Klobuchar won Minnesota’s governor race, creating a vacancy in her U.S. Senate seat that will be temporarily filled by a gubernatorial appointee until a special election in November 2027.
• Current Gov. Tim Walz or incoming Gov. Klobuchar will appoint the interim senator depending on the timing of Klobuchar’s resignation, with Klobuchar potentially making the appointment as her first act in office.
• Potential appointees include former U.S. Rep. Angie Craig, U.S. Rep. Kelly Morrison, Secretary of State Steve Simon, and other experienced statewide or local officials; Walz has expressed no interest in the Senate seat.
• The special election in 2027 will decide who completes Klobuchar’s term through January 2031, likely attracting significant national attention and competition due to it being the only Senate race that year.
• Minnesota has a history of Senate appointments, including Tina Smith’s 2017 appointment and the controversial 1976 appointment of Wendell Anderson, which led to political fallout known as the “Minnesota massacre.”