Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz announced Monday that he would be suspending his reelection campaign amid a scandal over state programs.
Walz, the Democratic vice presidential nominee in 2024, was seeking a third term to lead Minnesota. He announced his bid in September and if he was reelected, it would be the first time the state had elected a governor for three consecutive terms.
He’s faced declining approval ratings and increased scrutiny into alleged fraud in state programs and ultimately decided to take himself out of the race. Walz shared in a statement that he believed if he continued his campaign and “gave it my all,” he would succeed.
“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. 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,” Walz’s statement said.
“So I’ve decided to step out of the race and let others worry about the election while I focus on the work.”
The announcement is a big shakeup of the Minnesota gubernatorial race and creates a vacancy in the state’s leadership that will likely result in many jumping into the race.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., is considering running for governor, The Associated Press reported. Other candidates include MyPillow founder Mike Lindell and Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth, both Republicans.
Walz’s decision comes after a video from Utah influencer Nick Shirley alleged fraud was happening at child care facilities in Minnesota. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said it would freeze all federal child care payments to Minnesota but the state’s Department of Children, Youth and Families said investigators believe the facilities to be operating as expected.
Walz has admitted that the fraud scandal, which could amount to about $1 billion, was his fault. It happened on his watch, he said, and “I am the one that will fix it.”
The Department of Justice has already brought charges against dozens of Minnesotans over alleged Medicaid fraud and fraud related to the “Feeding Our Future” program.
Walz criticized the Trump administration in his statement, arguing that the president and his allies want to make Minnesota a “colder, meaner place.”
“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,” he said.
Walz has enacted many Democratic initiatives in Minnesota since taking office in 2019, including abortion protections, aid to families and free school breakfast and lunch.
Before that, Walz was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 2007 until becoming governor. He is an Army National Guard veteran and former high school football coach.
Former Vice President Kamala Harris chose him to be her running mate in her abbreviated 2024 campaign, increasing his national name recognition.