Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz dropped out of the Minnesota governor’s race on Monday, and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) is considering jumping in to replace him.
Walz’s decision to not seek a historic third term upends the race and shocked the Minnesota political world. The two-term governor, who served as the Democrats’ 2024 vice presidential nominee, was facing a potentially tough reelection fight as Republicans sought to tie him to a federal probe into a massive welfare fraud scandal in the state.
Walz acknowledged that the scandal played a role in his choice.
“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,” he said in a Monday statement.
Dozens of people have been charged with felonies for stealing hundreds of millions of dollars from Covid-era government programs intended to help feed children. Republicans were eager to tie Walz to the scheme, though he is not accused of any wrongdoing.
It’s a remarkable turn of events for the governor, who was elevated to national status by Kamala Harris in her 2024 sprint of a campaign and who until recently had left the door open to a 2028 presidential run of his own.
“Many Democrats don’t want him to run, including me,” said one senior Minnesota Democratic lawmaker, granted anonymity to speak candidly. “He is certainly not corrupt, but he has not handled the fraud problem well and we worry about his electability.”
Walz met with Klobuchar on Sunday to discuss the campaign, according to two people familiar with the meeting. A person close to Klobuchar, granted anonymity to describe the senator’s private thinking, said the Minnesota senator is receiving encouragement to run and she’s seriously considering it but has not decided on her plans. That development might be a boon to Democrats in the competitive state, as she has run well ahead of others in her party — including Walz — in past statewide campaigns.
Republicans face a crowded primary for governor, including MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell, Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth, state Rep. Kristin Robbins and Minneapolis attorney Chris Madel.
The Republican Governors’ Association crowed over Walz’s exit, adding in a statement on Monday: “After presiding over one of the biggest fraud scandals in history it’s no wonder that Tim Walz is being forced to drop his re-election bid. Walz’s failed leadership is emblematic of Minnesota Democrats’ agenda and whoever Democrats choose to replace Walz with at the top of the ticket will need to defend years of mismanagement and misplaced priorities.
Meredith Lee Hill contributed reporting.
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