ST PAUL, Minn. — Senate Minority Leader Susan Kent announced Thursday she will retire at the end of her term.
According to a press release, Kent (DFL-Woodbury) says she wants to dedicate more time to her family, especially her mother, who she hasn't been able to see in two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"The decision to retire at the end of my term next year was a difficult one, but it is in the best interest of my family. The pandemic has been hard on everyone — hard on millions of families — and mine is absolutely no exception," Kent, who served in the Minnesota Senate for 10 years, said in a press release. "Throughout it all, I’ve tried my best to do two roles that I alone can do: be my son’s mother, and my mother’s daughter, in fact, her only family member. I’ve done the best I can, and my husband, Chris, has been amazing. However, COVID has complicated our lives in ways that I could not have foreseen when I stepped up to leadership. It's been two years since I've seen my mother, and I'm deeply grateful for her care at an assisted living facility in Dallas where she’s been without direct family support. It is time to make changes in my life and put my family first.”
Kent's full statement reads:
It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve my community in the Minnesota Senate for almost 10 years now. I’ve been inspired by the dedicated community members, advocates and colleagues I’ve had the privilege of working with who are committed to building a better Minnesota for everyone. I began my political career as a mom fighting for better and more equitable public education, and I am proud that over the course of my tenure, Minnesota students have seen some of the biggest advancements in schools in recent history, including this year’s education budget, which will invest $1B over the course of the next biennium to support our students and schools.
I am also incredibly humbled to have had the opportunity to serve as the first woman Senate DFL Leader. It has been an honor to hold this position, and I am so proud of the passion and dedication to service that my DFL colleagues displayed over the course of these past 18 months, as we faced unprecedented challenges in the legislature, our state, and our communities. Across historic legislative sessions, we have worked hard to keep Minnesotans healthy and our communities strong.
The decision to retire at the end of my term next year was a difficult one, but it is in the best interest of my family. The pandemic has been hard on everyone — hard on millions of families — and mine is absolutely no exception. Throughout it all, I’ve tried my best to do two roles that I alone can do: be my son’s mother, and my mother’s daughter, in fact, her only family member. I’ve done the best I can, and my husband, Chris, has been amazing. However, COVID has complicated our lives in ways that I could not have foreseen when I stepped up to leadership. It's been two years since I've seen my mother, and I'm deeply grateful for her care at an assisted living facility in Dallas where she’s been without direct family support. It is time to make changes in my life and put my family first.
I've reflected on this over several months, and with a bit of distance since session ended, it became clear that I need to prioritize my family and can't commit to another four-year term. With that decision, I have also decided to step down as Senate DFL leader to give the new leader the time they’ll need to continue fighting for the shared values we all hold dear. I am committed to supporting a new DFL Leader to ensure a smooth transition, and I will continue to work hard in my role as the Senator for my community until my last day in office. I will be forever grateful for this experience and appreciate everyone's grace and understanding of this decision.
The Senate DFL caucus Monday, Sept. 13 to elect a new Senate Minority Leader.
