Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz pulled the plug on his re-election bid Monday, abruptly stepping away from a once-touted run for a third term as his administration remains engulfed by sprawling fraud cases that critics say ballooned into the billions on his watch.
Walz, a Democrat and former 2024 vice-presidential pick of Kamala Harris, announced the decision after months of mounting scrutiny over taxpayer dollars siphoned through state programs--an issue Republicans have pressed relentlessly and one that has begun to rattle Democrats privately as well.
In a statement released before a planned press conference, Walz said he had entered the race last September believing he could win a historic third term, but concluded after discussions with family and advisers over the holidays that he could not devote himself fully to a campaign.
He framed the exit as a choice to prioritize governing, arguing that time spent defending his political future would detract from protecting Minnesotans from criminals who "prey on our generosity" and from political cynics who exploit division.