ST PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the Democrats’ 2024 vice presidential candidate, is ending his bid for a third term as governor amid President Donald Trump’s relentless focus on an investigation into fraud in the state’s child care programs.
Less than four months after announcing his re-election campaign, Walz said on Monday that he could no longer devote the energy needed to win another term, even as he expressed confidence that he could win.
Walz said in a statement on Monday that he “cannot give everything to a political campaign” after what he described as “an extraordinarily difficult year for our state.”
“Donald Trump and his allies — in Washington, in St. Paul, and on the internet — want to make our state a colder, meaner place,” Walz said, referring to the Trump administration withholding funding for the programs. “They want to poison our people against each other by attacking our neighbors. And, ultimately, they want to take away much of what makes Minnesota the best place in America to raise a family.”
Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota is considering a run for governor, according to a person close to her. The person, who was not authorized to speak publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, said that Klobuchar has not made a final decision.
About a dozen Republicans are already in the race. They include MyPillow founder and chief executive Mike Lindell, an election denier who is close to Trump. They also include Minnesota Speaker of the House Lisa Demuth, of Cold Spring; Dr. Scott Jensen, former state senator from Chaska who was the party’s candidate in 2022; State Rep. Kristin Robbins, of Maple Grove; defense attorney and former federal prosecutor Chris Madel; former executive Kendall Qualls; and former Minnesota GOP Chairman David Hann.
Walz is a military veteran and union supporter who helped enact an ambitious Democratic agenda for his state, including sweeping protections for abortion rights and generous aid to families.
Vice President Kamala Harris chose Walz as her running mate after his line of attack against Trump and his running mate, then Ohio Senator JD Vance – “These people are just weird” – spread widely.
Walz had been building his national profile since his and Harris’ defeat in November. He has been a vocal critic of Trump as he toured early caucuses and primary states. In May, he called on Democrats in South Carolina to stand up to the Republican president, saying, “Maybe it’s time to be a little bit meaner.”
Through two terms as governor, Walz pushed a liberal agenda through a closely divided legislature. In his first term, he navigated a Democratic-led House and a Republican-controlled Senate that resisted his proposals to use higher taxes to boost money for schools, health care and roads. But he helped broker compromises.
He used the office’s emergency power during the COVID-19 pandemic to close businesses and close schools, prompting the Republican’s comeback.
Republicans have also been critical of Walz over what they saw as his slow response to the sometimes violent unrest that followed the 2020 killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer.
In his second term, Walz worked with Democratic majorities in both legislative houses to chart a more liberal path in state government, aided by a huge budget surplus. Minnesota has eliminated nearly all state abortion restrictions passed by Republicans in the past, protected gender-affirming care for transgender youth and legalized the recreational use of marijuana.
That, along with Walz’s rural background and experience representing southern Minnesota in Congress, landed him on Harris’ radar as she considered potential running mates in her 2024 presidential bid. After a frantic search, she chose Walz over other candidates including Roy Cooper of North Carolina, Andy Beshear of Kentucky, Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania and former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.
Walz was welcomed by Democratic voters but drew mixed reviews for his solo debate against his Vance.
Minnesota has favored a Democrat in presidential and statewide contests in recent decades. Walz won his second term in 2022 by nearly 8 percentage points, but Trump cut the Democratic lead to less than 5 points in 2024.
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Barrow reported from Atlanta.