Walz, Democrats’ 2024 VP pick, drops bid for third term as Minnesota governor; Klobuchar agrees

ST PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the Democrat’s 2024 vice presidential candidate, is ending his bid for a third term as governor amid President Donald Trump’s relentless focus on investigating fraud in child care programs in the state.

Less than four months after announcing his re-election campaign, Walz said Monday that he could not expend the energy needed to win another term, though he expressed confidence that he could win.

Walz said in a statement Monday that he “can’t give my all to the 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 online — want to make our state a colder, worse place,” Walz said, noting that the Trump administration has withheld funding for programs. “They want to attack our neighbors and turn our people against each other. And, ultimately, they want to take away many of the things that make Minnesota the best place to raise a family in America.”

Minnesota Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar 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 Klobuchar had not made a final decision.

About a dozen Republicans are already in the race. They include Mike Lindell, the founder and chief executive of MyPilo, a pollster who is close to Trump. They also include Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth, Cold Spring; Dr. Scott Jensen, a former state senator from Chaska who was the party’s 2022 nominee; State Rep. Christine Robbins, of Maple Grove; defense attorney and former federal prosecutor Chris Medell; former executive Kendall Qualls; and former Minnesota GOP Chairman David Hahn.

Walz is a military veteran and union supporter who helped enact an ambitious Democratic agenda for his state, including broader protections for abortion rights and generous aid to families.

Vice President Kamala Harris picked Walz as her running mate after an attack line against Trump and his running mate, then-Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance — “These guys are weird” — went viral.

Walz has been building his national profile since his and Harris’ defeat in November. He was a vocal critic of Trump during early caucuses and visits to primary states. In May, he called on Democrats in South Carolina to stand up to the Republican president, saying, “Maybe it’s time for us to be a little weaker.”

Through two terms as governor, Walz moved 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 raise money for schools, health care and roads. But he helped broker the deal.

He fueled Republican pushback to use the office’s emergency powers to close businesses and close schools during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Republicans also criticized Walz for what they saw as his slow response to the sometimes violent unrest following the 2020 killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer.

In his second term, Walz worked with Democratic majorities in both legislative chambers to craft a more liberal course in state government, aided by large budget surpluses. Minnesota overturned nearly all state abortion restrictions enacted by Republicans in the past, protected gender-affirming care for transgender youth and legalized the recreational use of marijuana.

That, combined with Walz’s rural background and experience representing southern Minnesota in Congress, put him on C. Harris’ radar as he considered potential running mates in a 2024 presidential bid. After a whirlwind search, she chose Walz over other candidates, including North Carolina’s Roy Cooper, Kentucky’s Andy Beshear, Pennsylvania’s Josh Shapiro and former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

Walz received a warm reception from Democratic voters but drew mixed reviews for his solo debate against Vance.

Minnesota has tilted Democratic in recent decades in presidential and statewide contests. Walsh won his second term in 2022 by nearly 8 percentage points, but Trump narrowed the Democrat’s advantage to less than 5 points in 2024.

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Barrow reported from Atlanta.