Democratic Governor Tim Walz of Minnesota is dropping his bid for reelection as he continues to weather heated criticism over a sweeping welfare fraud scandal in his state. "I can't give a political campaign my all," Walz, 61, told reporters at the state capitol in St. Paul. "Every minute that 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 want to prey on our differences." Walz read from a prepared statement and walked away without taking questions. Walz, who was Kamala Harris' vice presidential pick for her failed 2024 White House bid, reached his decision after spending the weekend discussing his plans with friends and advisers. He met with Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar on Sunday, two people familiar with the matter told CNN. Klobuchar, who was reelected to a fourth term in 2024, has been "getting a lot of outreach, encouraging her to run," a person close to her told CNN, and is "seriously considering it." Klobuchar did not respond to a request for comment about her meeting with Walz. She is a former prosecutor in Minneapolis and serves in Senate leadership, but over the years has privately expressed interest in being governor and serving as a chief executive. The senator sought the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020. A deepening federal probe into a fraud scandal in Minnesota complicated Walz's bid for an unprecedented third term. He has not been accused of any wrongdoing, but Republicans have sought to blame Walz and Democrats for the massive abuse of taxpayer dollars. It was the recent criticism from the Trump administration and right-wing allies that Walz said contributed to his decision not to seek reelection. "For the last several years, an organized group of criminals have sought to take advantage of this state's generosity," Walz said. "And even as we make progress in the fight against the fraudsters, we now see an organized group of political actors seeking to take advantage of a crisis." Walz had been criticized for his administration's oversight of the welfare programs. Several Democrats in the state privately cautioned Walz against seeking reelection as outrage intensified in Minnesota and beyond over the misuse of funds. Minnesota officials have until January 9 to provide the Trump administration with information about providers and parents who receive federal funds for child care. The Trump administration's demands are the latest step in a yearslong saga that started with investigations into theft of government funds in Minnesota under the Biden administration. In his statement announcing his decision, Walz accused Donald Trump of seeking to politicize the scandal by attacking the Somali population in Minnesota. "I won't mince words here. Donald Trump and his allies – in Washington and in St. Paul and online – want to make our state a colder, meaner place," he said. "They want to poison our people against each other by attacking our neighbors." In his brief appearance on Monday, Walz said he welcomed the federal investigation. He said it was imperative Minnesotans had confidence in the state's social safety net programs. — Agencies
