WASHINGTON – Gov. Tim Walz’s decision to drop hopes for a third term has shaken up Democratic politics in Minnesota and opened the door to potential candidates, including Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who are keen on running for what will now be an open seat.
A source close to the long-serving Democratic candidate said Klobuchar, who met with Walz on Sunday, has “gotten encouragement by a lot of people to run.”
“She is considering it,” the source said. “But she has not made up her mind.”
Klobuchar, who has served in the U.S. Senate since 2007, was reelected last year, handily defeating GOP candidate Royce White, who is now running for retiring Sen. Tina Smith’s seat.
Considered one of the most effective members of the Senate for her ability to win bipartisan support for legislation, Klobuchar is also known for her ambition.
She announced a run for the White House on Feb. 10, 2019, but suspended her campaign less than a month later and endorsed Joe Biden.
Klobuchar’s entry into the governor’s race may give other Democrats interested in running for governor pause because of the senator’s popularity in the state. But the opportunity may outweigh those concerns.
Secretary of State Steve Simon and Attorney General Keith Ellison are among those who were keeping an eye on whether Walz would run for a third term. Walz announced he would this summer but abandoned that plan after speaking to Klobuchar.
Ellison on Monday said he had “the privilege of serving Minnesotans alongside Tim for almost 20 years.”
“Tim’s legacy is one of putting people first and delivering for Minnesotans in every corner of our state, and that’s a legacy to be damn proud of,” Ellison said in a statement.
Other Democrats may also be interested in the governor’s race. But Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan said she continues to prefer running for the U.S. Senate.
Klobuchar would not have to relinquish her Senate seat to run for governor but would have to resign from the chamber if she were to win, leaving another open Senate seat besides the one that was created by Smith’s retirement. A new senator would be appointed temporarily, until the next federal elections are held in 2027.
The Trump administration’s allegations of fraud in a number of Minnesota social service programs – ranging from Medicaid to food stamps to childcare services – had put Walz on the defensive politically, blunted Democratic attacks on the president and put hundreds of millions of federal funds for the state under threat.
The attacks on Walz, which resulted in slumping poll numbers, also concerned other Democrats in the state who were running for office.
Democratic National Committee Chairman Ken Martin, who was the state’s DFL Party chairman, said Walz’s “selfless choice speaks volumes about his character.”
“I’m deeply grateful to Governor Walz for his integrity, his humility, and his unwavering commitment to Minnesota,” Martin said in a statement. “Thank you for carrying the torch, knowing when to pass it on, and always putting Minnesota first.”
Smith also alluded to sacrifice, saying Walz’s decision to not seek reelection is “what it looks like when leaders put the interests of the people before politics.”
“Tim’s career has been defined by getting results for Minnesotans, doing the right thing, and always putting people first,” Smith said in a statement. “In the face of an unprecedented and coordinated attack on Minnesota by President Trump and his administration, the Governor is once again doing the right thing. “
Republicans, meanwhile, rejoiced at Walz’s decision.
“Good riddance,” was the curt reaction from Rep. Tom Emmer, R-6th District.
Whoever becomes the Democratic candidate for governor will face one of about a dozen GOP candidates who have entered the race, eager for the chance to defeat Walz.
Those include “My Pillow” CEO Mike Lindell, whom Trump has endorsed; Lisa Demuth, the state House speaker; state Rep. Kristin Roberts; Kendall Qualls, the leader of a nonprofit who ran unsuccessfully for governor in 2022 and Congress in 2020; and attorney Chris Madel.
Walz announced his decision just days before House Oversight and Reform Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., holds a hearing Wednesday about alleged fraud in Minnesota social service programs, with several state lawmakers, including Robbins, as witnesses.
The hearing is just the start of Comer’s investigation into allegations of fraud in programs funded with federal dollars in Minnesota – and allegations that Somalis involved in the alleged fraud funneled money to terrorists.
On Monday, Comer said Walz’s decision would not affect the course of his investigation, which includes interrogations of former and current state officials behind closed doors and the appearance of Walz and Ellison at a public hearing in February.
“Though Tim Walz is not running for governor again, he cannot run from accountability,” Comer said. “The House Oversight Committee demands that he appear for a public hearing on Feb. 10 to expose this fraud and begin the process of accountability. The American people deserve answers, and they deserve them now.”
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