The Minneapolis Star Tribune reports…
Minnesota Lt. Gov. Tina Smith will join the U.S. Senate this week, vowing an early emphasis on economic development and other bread-and-butter issues even as she plunges into the heart of what promises to be another turbulent year in national politics.
Forced to immediately begin mounting a campaign for a November 2018 special election to hold the seat for two more years, Smith is setting goals and eyeing issues to take on as she prepares for at least a year as Minnesota’s junior senator. She said in an interview at the end of last week that she hopes to focus on issues she worked on at the state level: rural broadband expansion, access to child care and paid family leave.
I wanted to add Senator Smith’s comment in MinnPost
https://www.minnpost.com/politics-policy/2018/01/i-am-not-fainthearted-qa-minnesota-s-new-us-senator-tina-smith
MinnPost: You’re going to be a member of a now-49-person minority in the Senate. How do you plan on distinguishing yourself in a group that contains some pretty big and nationally known personalities?
Sen. Tina Smith: I’m really focused on Minnesota and Minnesotans, and I will come to Washington, D.C., prepared to be a fierce advocate for Minnesotans, especially around economic opportunity and fairness. This is the work that I’ve done as lieutenant governor, and I want to continue that work, so whether it’s on issues of tax fairness, or health care costs, or expanding opportunity in Greater Minnesota — with, for example, rural broadband — I know those issues and I know Minnesota, and I want to bring that here so that my colleagues can know that too. I will also be listening really hard and trying to find the places where we can find common ground, not only within the Democratic caucus, but across the hundred of my new colleagues.
Minneapolis Star Tribune mentioned Sen Smith’s interest in broadband
http://www.startribune.com/sen-tina-smith-emphasizes-workforce-shortage-at-first-minnesota-appearance-since-swearing-in/468182733/#1
She plans to talk with steel workers and pensioners on the Iron Range and discuss rural broadband in Mountain Iron before attending some Twin Cities events.
Broadband access is another topic Smith has said she will focus on, along with access to child care and paid family leave.
Whapeton Daily News notes her dedication to broadband
http://www.wahpetondailynews.com/news/mn-s-tina-smith-sworn-in-as-u-s-senator/article_0a369142-f198-11e7-ac76-a76f4e1633fd.html
She’s also critical of the GOP’s recent overhaul of the tax code, noting the Dayton Administration’s move to raise taxes on the top 2 percent of Minnesotans, and to increase funding for rural education and broadband.