Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz drops reelection bid
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a Democrat who was his party’s vice presidential nominee in 2024, announced Monday he is dropping his campaign for a third term. The announcement comes amid weeks of scrutiny over the state’s perceived indifference to the alleged misuse of public funds in social services programs.
“In September, I announced that I would run for a historic third term as Minnesota’s Governor,” Walz said in a statement. “And I have every confidence that, if I gave it my all, I would succeed in that effort. 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.”
He alluded to the controversy over alleged widespread fraud, much of it attributed to Somali Americans living in Minnesota.
“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 said. “So I’ve decided to step out of the race and let others worry about the election while I focus on the work.”
Walz addresses fraud investigation
Walz addressed the fraud in his press release, saying Minnesota ended 2025 on a “sour note” and that “an organized group of criminals” exploited the state’s generosity. He also said that President Donald Trump and his administration have used the situation to their benefit.
“For the last several years, an organized group of criminals have sought to take advantage of our state’s generosity. 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 the crisis.
“I won’t mince words here. Donald Trump and his allies – in Washington, in St. Paul, and online – want to make our state 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. They’ve already begun by taking our tax dollars that were meant to help families afford child care. And they have no intention of stopping there.
“Make no mistake: We should be concerned about fraud in our state government. We cannot effectively deliver programs and services if we can’t earn the public’s trust. That’s why, over the past few years, we’ve made systemic changes to the way we do business.
‘It is disgusting. And it is dangerous.’
The governor defended his state against the “political gameship” he said the Republicans were playing. He called out Republicans, right-wing conspiracy theorists and Trump for their involvement in blowing up the issues at hand:
“But the political gamesmanship we’re seeing from Republicans is only making that fight harder to win.
We’ve got Republicans here in the legislature playing hide-and-seek with whistleblowers.
“We’ve got conspiracy theorist right-wing YouTubers breaking into daycare centers and demanding access to our children.
“We’ve got the President of the United States demonizing our Somali neighbors and wrongly confiscating childcare funding that Minnesotans rely on.
“It is disgusting. And it is dangerous.
“Republicans are playing politics with the future of our state. And it’s shameful. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: We welcome ideas from anyone, in any party, who wants to help us continue to stay ahead of the criminals.
Child care funds frozen
The Trump administration froze federal child care payments last week in response to a viral video that purported to expose widespread fraud at daycare centers in Minnesota. Federal officials have estimated as much as $9 billion may have been misappropriated in Minnesota safety-net programs in recent years.
Walz has pushed back, accusing the Trump administration of politicizing the issue.
Fraud investigations have been underway in Minnesota for years, and federal grand juries have charged more than 90 people.
The issue gained new attention after a video by conservative journalist Nick Shirley spotlighting the allegations in the Somali community in the Twin Cities went viral.
HHS launched dedicated state-specific fraud hotlines and a nationwide email tip line for reporting suspected child care abuse.
This is a breaking news story. Check back later for more updates.
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Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
