Minn Gov. Tim Walz drops OUT of re-election race amid state fraud scandal
Democrat Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, also a one-time running mate to former VP Kamala Harris in 2024, announced his departure from the political race on Monday
by Summer Lane | January 5, 2026
Governor Tim Walz will not seek re-election for a third time in Minnesota, amid a glaring statewide fraud scandal that has reflected poorly on his administration.
“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 on Monday. “So I’ve decided to step out of the race and let others worry about the election while I focus on the work.”
In his remarks this week, Walz blamed the Trump administration, along with Republicans in general, for the focus on the fraud in Minnesota, accusing them of “playing politics with the future of our state.”
As reported by LindellTV, massive, widespread cases of alleged fraud have come to light in the state of Minnesota following YouTuber Nick Shirley’s independent reporting that unveiled a string of suspicious empty daycare centers in the state that have allegedly received millions of dollars.
According to CBS, federal prosecutors believe there could be billions of dollars of fraud just in Minnesota’s Medicaid program alone – the tip, perhaps, of a very large scandalous iceberg.
“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,” Walz said on Monday during his announcement.
He continued, “…A single taxpayer dollar wasted on fraud is a dollar too much to tolerate. And while there’s a role to play for everyone – from the legislature to prosecutors to insurance companies to local and county government – the buck stops with me.”
With Walz out of the race, potential Democrat contenders for the party’s gubernatorial nomination are up in the air. A possible candidate may be Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), but this has not been confirmed.
LindellTV’s own Mike Lindell is running for the Republican nomination in 2026, along with several other GOP contenders like Rep. Kristin Robbins and Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth.
Photo: Adobe Stock
