Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz abruptly dropped his bid for a third term on Monday, amid a growing fraud scandal in which allegedly billions of taxpayer dollars were swindled on his watch.
Democrat Walz, former Vice President Kamala Harris’ veep pick in 2024, had launched his campaign for a third term back in September. No Minnesota governor has been elected three times since the term of office was doubled to four years in the 1960s.
“In September, I announced that I would run for a historic third term as Minnesota’s Governor. And I have every confidence that, if I gave it my all, I would succeed in that effort,” Walz said in a statement.
“But as I reflected on this moment with my family and my team over the holidays, I came to the conclusion that I can’t give a political campaign my all,” he added.
“Every minute I spend defending my own political interests would be a minute I can’t spend defending the people of Minnesota against the criminals who prey on our generosity and the cynics who prey on our differences.”
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US Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) is viewed as top contender to jump into the race.
If she were to toss her hat in the ring, Klobuchar would join three of her Senate colleagues in running for governor: Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), and Michael Bennet (D-Col.)
Klobuchar, who was reelected in 2024, isn’t up for reelection until 2030. Senate Democrats were hoping to go on offense in the 2026 midterms, having to defend only 13 seats compared to the Republicans’ 22.
However, that has been complicated by retirements in key states, including New Hampshire, Michigan and Minnesota, where Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minn.) is not seeking reelection. Moreover, the GOP only has a few competitive seats, such as Maine and North Carolina, to defend, giving Dems a narrow path to whittle down the Republicans’ 53 to 47-seat majority.
Attorney General Keith Ellison and Secretary of State Steve Simon are also seen as potential Democratic candidates for govenor.
Speculated GOP contenders for Minnesota’s governorship include My Pillow CEO Mike Lindell and House Speaker Lisa Demuth.
“Good riddance,” said Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn) in response to Walz’s decision to drop out of the race.
Last year, following Harris’ defeat, Walz had begun holding town halls and other campaign events across the country, in an apparent bid to boost his national profile.
Looming over Walz’s stunning decision to drop out of the race is a growing scandal of massive fraud in the state’s generous social safety net.
Estimates vary, but the theft is thought to be at least $1 billion. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson claimed late last year that the fraud could be $9 billion or more.
The fraud was prevalent among Minnesota’s Somali population, where people set up bogus nonprofits to get state funding to provide services to the homeless, hungry and individuals in need of daycare for their children.
Prosecutors have charged over 90 people for fraud.
Up until his announcement on Monday, Walz had been widely seen as the frontrunner heading into November. Democrats have won statewide elections in Minnesota consistently since 2006.
In his announcement, Walz swiped at President Trump, who has railed against the welfare scandal that exploded under the outgoing governor’s watch.
“I won’t mince words here. Donald Trump and his allies – in Washington, in St. Paul, and online – want to make our state a colder, meaner place,” Walz said. “They want to poison our people against each other by attacking our neighbors.”
“We’ve got Republicans here in the legislature playing hide-and-seek with whistleblowers. We’ve got conspiracy theorist right-wing YouTubers breaking into daycare centers and demanding access to our children,” Walz went on. “We’ve got the President of the United States demonizing our Somali neighbors and wrongly confiscating childcare funding that Minnesotans rely on.”
Trump gloated over Walz’s sudden exit, alleging — without evidence — that the outgoing governor was implicated in the welfare scandal.
“I feel certain the facts will come out, and they will reveal a seriously unscrupulous, and rich, group of ‘SLIMEBALLS,’” Trump posted on Truth Social. “Governor Walz has destroyed the State of Minnesota, but others, like Governor Gavin Newscum, JB Pritzker, and Kathy Hochul, have done, in my opinion, an even more dishonest and incompetent job.”
“NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW!”
