Sen. Ann Rest To Retire from State Legislature After 40 Years of Service
Sen. Ann Rest, DFL-New Hope, announced Tuesday that she will retire from legislative office at the end of the 2026 session, capping a career that began in 1984 when she was first elected to the Minnesota House by just over 50 votes.
Rest said it was a decision that she did not make recently, despite being a target of the June political assassinations, but rather a decision that she made with her family four years ago.
“I contemplated running for reelection and/or retiring like I do every time, and in talking with my family, I told them that I really wanted one more term to be able to regain the majority and to do some really good work for constituents particularly with regard to tax policy, but also with economic development,” said Rest.
Photo provided by Minnesota State Senate
Rest retires after serving in the state Senate since 2001.
Rest, who has served as tax chair in both the House and Senate, points to accomplishments like the child tax credit and a restitution fund for fraud victims as highlights of her work.
She said she still has unfinished business, particularly improving Minnesota’s childcare tax credit.
“I’m going to also be working in 2026 because I’m not done improving Minnesota ‘s childcare tax credit,” said Rest. “We all know the expenses of working families for taking care of their little kids is just going through the roof. The governor, and I with him, want to do something about that and we’re going to have that opportunity.”
Rest said she’s been quietly encouraging women in her district to consider running for her seat.
“One of the things that’s really important to me, and it was important back in 1983, is my belief and my conviction that it is the women of America who have demonstrated leadership in so many different ways and I’ve quietly been encouraging recruiting women to run for the state Senate in District 43,” said Rest. “I do believe from the bottom of my heart it is women who will lead us to a sane and as a safe future.”
Even after her retirement at the end of the 2026 legislative session, Rest said she plans on still working on policy.
“My work is not quite done and but I’m also looking forward to another another grand adventure,” said Rest.
