Ramsey County Commissioner Rafael Ortega will not seek reelection in 2026.
The announcement comes just days after St. Paul City Council President Rebecca Noecker formally launched her campaign for the seat, with a statement that she wanted to see a more active county board.
Ortega has served as a county commissioner since 1994 and currently serves as chair of the county board. He had previously said he would run again.
“This was not an easy decision for me because we are working on so many important, exciting things this year and I would love to see them through,” Ortega said in an emailed statement Friday.
Ortega said he looked forward to spending time with his family.
Reflecting on three decades with Ramsey County, Ortega noted major transit projects, new affordable housing and improvements to Ramsey County libraries.
The announcement via email Friday reversed Ortega’s earlier statement: “I fully intend to run for reelection and I look forward to comparing the work I’m doing and the work I’ve done with any challengers,” Ortega said in a Nov. 20 email.
