--- title: Why Tim Walz Is Dropping Out of the Minnesota Governor Race description: Walz announced he is dropping his re-election bid, amid widespread fraud allegations within the state. canonical: https://time.com/7343133/why-tim-walz-is-dropping-out-of-minnesota-governor-race/ author: Rebecca Schneid article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2026-01-05T15:33:15.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-19T08:13:27.861Z article:section: Politics og:title: Why Tim Walz Is Dropping Out of the Minnesota Governor Race og:description: Walz announced he is dropping his re-election bid, amid widespread fraud allegations within the state. og:url: https://time.com/7343133/why-tim-walz-is-dropping-out-of-minnesota-governor-race/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltc1575a90eddae400/6998cc991f67095cbcf570d5/GettyImages-2183359074.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 5738 og:image:height: 3228 og:image:alt: Vice President And Presidential Nominee Kamala Harris Delivers Concession Speech At Howard University og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Why Tim Walz Is Dropping Out of the Minnesota Governor Race twitter:description: Walz announced he is dropping his re-election bid, amid widespread fraud allegations within the state. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltc1575a90eddae400/6998cc991f67095cbcf570d5/GettyImages-2183359074.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 video:duration: 01:38 video:published: 2026-01-05 section: politics topics: Minnesota governor, re-election decision, third term, 2026 election year, fraud, US Attorney's Office, FBI, federal government, Republican criticism, political leadership in Washington genre: political statement, announcement tones: defiant, reflective, critical, resolute emotions: frustration (high), resolve (high), gratitude (low) sentiment: negative audience: US politics followers, Minnesota residents, news readers, political analysts people: Tim Walz organizations: Republicans, US Attorney's Office, FBI content_suitability: politics [00:00-01:38]; crime [00:11-01:25] transcript_source: publisher captions transcript_reviewed: not applicable ---  # Why Tim Walz Is Dropping Out of the Minnesota Governor Race > Sponsored content. 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It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, twice a week. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=b356ee38-83d1-4027-9f4b-5910c219489e&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Minnesota’s Gov. Tim Walz announces he is dropping his re-election bid [Watch (HLS stream): Minnesota’s Gov. Tim Walz announces he is dropping his re-election bid](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/OjNwE2XN.m3u8) (1:38)  _Published 2026-01-05. Minnesota’s Gov. Tim Walz has announced he is dropping his re-election bid and will not seek a third term this coming November amid widespread fraud allegations within the state._ Description, summary, key points, chapters, key quotes, questions and transcript, where present, were produced automatically from the video or its captions and were not reviewed. ## Summary The video presents Minnesota's governor addressing criticism from Republicans and political leadership in Washington over the state's fight against fraud. He welcomes help from the federal government's career professionals while rejecting what he calls political opportunism. He explains that he reflected over the holidays with his family and team about the 2026 election year. He concludes that he cannot give a campaign his all while also defending the people of Minnesota, and says he will step out of the race to focus on his work for the next year. ## Key points - The speaker accuses Republicans of playing politics with the future of Minnesota, calling it shameful. (00:00) - He welcomes ideas from anyone in any party and welcomes the involvement of the federal Government in staying ahead of criminals. (00:07) - He thanks career professionals at the US Attorney's Office and the FBI for helping fight this fight for years. (00:19) - He says political leadership in Washington consists of opportunists willing to hurt people to score cheap points and who intend to profit off the problem. (00:28) - He states that election years ramp up the politics at a time Minnesota cannot afford more of it. (00:46) - In September he announced he would seek a historic third term, and he says he is confident he would have won if he gave it his all. (00:56) - After reflecting with his family and team over the holidays, he concluded he cannot give a political campaign his all. (01:06) - He says every minute spent defending his own political interest would be a minute not spent defending Minnesotans against criminals who prey on generosity and cynics who prey on differences. (01:15) ## Chapters - [00:00 to 00:46] Criticism of politics and federal partnership. The speaker rebukes Republicans and Washington leadership while welcoming help from the US Attorney's Office, the FBI and others. - [00:46 to 01:38] Decision to step out of race. The speaker explains why the 2026 election year and his responsibilities led him to leave the race and focus on his work. ## Key quotes - [00:00] Tim Walz: "Republicans are playing politics with the future of this state." - [00:33] Tim Walz: "These opportunists are willing to hurt our people to score cheap points." - [00:46] Tim Walz: "2026 is an election year." - [01:10] Tim Walz: "I can't give a political campaign my all." - [01:28] Tim Walz: "So I've decided to step out of this race," ## Questions this video answers - Why does the speaker say he is stepping out of the race? [01:06] - How does the speaker describe Republicans and Washington's political leadership? [00:00] - Which federal agencies does the speaker thank for their help? [00:19] - What had the speaker announced in September? [00:56] - What will the speaker focus on over the next year? [01:28] ## Content suitability - politics [00:00-01:38]: Political statement criticizing Republicans and Washington leadership, and announcing withdrawal from an election race. - crime [00:11-01:25]: Refers to criminals and a fight against them, without graphic detail.  by [Rebecca Schneid](https://time.com/author/rebecca-schneid/)  ## Rebecca Schneid Reporter Jan 5, 2026 3:33 PM UTC Minnesota’s Gov. Tim Walz has announced he is dropping his re-election bid and will not seek a third term this coming November amid widespread fraud allegations within the state.  by [Rebecca Schneid](https://time.com/author/rebecca-schneid/)  ## Rebecca Schneid Reporter Jan 5, 2026 3:33 PM UTC Minnesota’s Gov. Tim Walz has announced he is dropping his re-election bid and will not seek a third term this coming November amid widespread fraud [allegations](https://time.com/7337670/somalia-minnesota-fraud-walz-trump-tps-explainer/) within the state. Walz, who ran as the Democratic Party’s vice presidential nominee in the 2024 election, has encountered [lower approval ratings](https://kstp.com/kstp-news/top-news/kstp-surveyusa-poll-results-trump-walz-both-below-50-approval-in-minnesota/) over the past month as criticism continues to mount amid investigations into state welfare agencies and government-affiliated programs that were widely targeted by fraud. Walz, 61, pointed to the scandal and the general political climate in his statement on Monday morning, claiming that “political gamesmanship from Republicans” is making the fight against fraudsters “harder to win.” Explaining his decision not to run, the former teacher said that after speaking with his family and team over the festive season, he has come to the realization that he can’t give a political campaign his all and he wants to “let others worry about the election” so that he can “focus on the work.” “Donald Trump and his allies—in Washington, in St. Paul, and online—want to make our state a colder, meaner place,” Walz claimed, referencing how the Trump Administration plans to freeze all federal funds to Minnesota child care centers in response to the instances of fraud. “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,” Walz maintained. Walz was first elected Governor in 2018, succeeding fellow Democrat Mark Dayton. Minnesota has held a Democratic governor for several years, but Walz’s departure could shake up the landscape for the 2026 race. Potential successors include Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Minnesota’s Attorney General Keith Ellison, and lieutenant governor Peggy Flanagan. **Read More:** [_Protesters Condemn Trump’s Targeting of Minnesota’s Somali Community: ‘This Is Our Country, Not His’_](https://time.com/7338580/anti-trump-protesters-immigration-crackdown-somali-community/) Trump has used the widespread fraud scandal to target Minnesota’s Somali community, accusing them of “destroying” the state, on account of some people of Somali descent being found [guilty of involvement with the schemes](https://www.justice.gov/usao-mn/pr/landmark-sentence-feeding-our-future-scheme-leader-sentenced-28-years-prison). He has taken to seemingly blaming the community as a whole rather than the individuals involved. Trump has also repeatedly [taken aim at Rep. Ilhan Omar,](https://time.com/7339768/trump-anti-immigration-speech-backlash/) a Democratic Congresswoman for Minnesota, who was born in Somalia. During one contentious Cabinet meeting in December, Trump referred to Somalia as “barely a country” and called members of the Somali community “garbage.” Trump’s rhetoric sparked [protests in the state](https://time.com/7338580/anti-trump-protesters-immigration-crackdown-somali-community/) and criticism from members of the Democratic Party. Representatives Gregory W. Meeks of New York and Sara Jacobs of California, along with Senators Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire and Cory Booker of New Jersey condemned the President's remarks about Somali immigrants in the U.S. in [a joint statement](https://democrats-foreignaffairs.house.gov/2025/12/meeks-jacobs-shaheen-booker-condemn-president-trump-s-remarks-on-somali-immigrants-in-the-united-states), calling them “xenophobic and unacceptable.” Following Walz's announcement regarding his re-election bid, Trump once again said the former VP candidate has ["destroyed" the state of Minnesota.](https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115844083693194821) The President accused Walz of being complicit in the various fraud schemes that have plagued the state. He did not provide any evidence and there is no suggestion that Walz had any prior knowledge of the fraudulent activity. ## Transcript [00:00] Republicans are playing politics [00:02] with the future of this state. [00:03] It's shameful. And I've said it [00:05] before and I will continue to say it. [00:07] We welcome ideas from anyone in any party, [00:11] from any walk of life, [00:13] who wants to help us [00:14] continue to stay ahead of these criminals. [00:16] And we welcome the involvement of the federal Government. [00:19] I am grateful to the the career professionals at [00:23] the US Attorney's Office and [00:24] the FBI who have been [00:26] helping us fight this fight for years. [00:28] But I cannot abide the actions [00:31] of the political leadership in Washington. [00:33] These opportunists are willing to hurt [00:35] our people to score cheap points. [00:38] They and their allies have [00:39] no intention of helping us solve this problem, [00:42] and every intention of trying to profit off of it. [00:46] Which brings me to this 2026 is an election year. [00:50] Election years have a way of ramping up [00:52] the politics at a time when we [00:54] simply can't afford more of that in Minnesota. [00:56] In September, I announced that I would [00:59] seek a historic third term as Minnesota's governor. [01:01] And I have every confidence that if I gave it my all, [01:04] we would win the race. [01:06] But as I reflect on this moment with [01:08] my family and my team over the holidays, [01:10] I came to the conclusion that I [01:12] can't give a political campaign my all. [01:15] Every minute that I spend defending [01:17] my own political interest would be a minute. [01:20] I can't spend defending the people of Minnesota [01:22] against the criminals who prey on our generosity, [01:25] and the cynics who want to prey on our differences. [01:28] So I've decided to step out of this race, [01:30] and I'll let others worry about the election while [01:32] I focus on the work that's in [01:34] front of me for the next year. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/7343133/why-tim-walz-is-dropping-out-of-minnesota-governor-race/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/7343133/why-tim-walz-is-dropping-out-of-minnesota-governor-race/"},"headline":"Why Tim Walz Is Dropping Out of the Minnesota Governor Race","datePublished":"2026-01-05T15:33:15.000Z","dateModified":"2026-10-19T08:13:27.861Z","description":"Walz announced he is dropping his re-election bid, amid widespread fraud allegations within the state.","url":"https://time.com/7343133/why-tim-walz-is-dropping-out-of-minnesota-governor-race/","keywords":["elections","News Desk"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltc1575a90eddae400/6998cc991f67095cbcf570d5/GettyImages-2183359074.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Rebecca Schneid","jobTitle":"Reporter","url":"https://time.com/author/rebecca-schneid/"}],"articleSection":"Politics","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltc1575a90eddae400/6998cc991f67095cbcf570d5/GettyImages-2183359074.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Vice President And Presidential Nominee Kamala Harris Delivers Concession Speech At Howard University","caption":"Vice President And Presidential Nominee Kamala Harris Delivers Concession Speech At Howard University","creditText":"Kevin Dietsch—Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/section/politics/","name":"Politics"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/tag/elections/","name":"elections"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/7343133/why-tim-walz-is-dropping-out-of-minnesota-governor-race/","name":"Why Tim Walz Is Dropping Out of the Minnesota Governor Race"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Minnesota’s Gov. 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