U.S. Sen. Tina Smith will recruit, campaign for Democratic Senate candidates across country

Minnesota's junior U.S. Sen. Tina Smith has signed on to help Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York defend the Democratic Party's slim majority in the Senate through the 2024 election cycle.

Schumer announced last week that Smith will serve as vice chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), along with Sen. Alex Padilla of California. Sen. Gary Peters of Michigan will continue as chair.

Smith's office said her role will involve fundraising, candidate recruitment and helping grassroots organizations mobilize voters.

In a statement, Smith said she couldn't be more excited. "Since President Biden took office, Senate Democrats have helped deliver real, tangible results: progress on climate change, addressing the cost of insulin, improving health care for veterans, and bringing back manufacturing jobs to America," she said. "I'm eager to keep the momentum going."

According to Politico, Peters initially dismissed requests for him to stay on through another election cycle, but agreed with the addition of two vice chairs to share the load. Politico said Smith is seen as "an effective progressive messenger."

The DSCC news release credited Peters with expanding the Democrats' Senate majority to 51 seats in the 2022 election by successfully defending every incumbent and flipping the open Pennsylvania seat.

Smith has been in the Senate since she was appointed by Gov. Mark Dayton in 2017. She was elected to a six-year term in 2020.

In the other chamber of Congress and on the other side of the aisle, U.S. Rep. Tom Emmer, who represents Minnesota's Sixth Congressional District, fulfilled a similar campaign role as chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee in the 2022 election cycle.