Will Tina Smith stay on as DMC chair?

Lt. Gov. Tina Smith says she will make a decision in the coming weeks on whether to keep her role on the Destination Medical Center Corporation Board.

On Wednesday, Gov. Mark Dayton appointed Smith as the interim replacement for embattled Sen. Al Franken, who is resigning in response to multiple accusations of sexual misconduct. 

Smith will serve the remainder of Franken's term through 2018. She also plans to run for the seat next November. 

"This was an unanticipated moment, and there are lots of issues we need to work on in terms of transition," Smith said at a news conference Wednesday.

One of her top priorities, she said, will be deciding how to handle her involvement with DMC. Smith chairs the board responsible for overseeing the progress of the $5.6 billion initiative. 

"It is incredibly important to me, not only as lieutenant governor, but also as senator that [the DMC] project succeeds," she said. "That will be the main thing on my mind over the next couple of weeks." 

Cover photo: Smith, right, talks with the audience during a More Women on the Move luncheon in Rochester / M Brandt Photography