Former vice presidential candidate Tim Walz has ended his bid for re-election as Minnesota Governor amid a MAGA firestorm over alleged welfare fraud in his state and vile slurs from Donald Trump.
In a statement on Monday morning, the two-term governor announced he would no longer seek a third term in office, accusing Trump and his allies of wanting “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,” he said.
“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," the 61-year-old added.
Walz’s decision came amid growing scrutiny of welfare fraud allegations under Walz’s watch, which has become a massive distraction for Democrats as they struggle without a national leader.
A firestorm erupted in recent weeks after MAGA content creator Nick Shirley posted a viral video in which he claimed to find widespread fraud at Somali-run child care centers.
The video had limited evidence to prove Shirley’s allegations, but received millions of views online and gained traction after being reposted by Vice President JD Vance and Elon Musk.
But Walz has long been a target for Trump, who childishly nicknamed him “Tampon Tim” in reference to a law the governor signed requiring public schools to provide menstrual products to students.
Trump has also referred to the governor as “r-tarded” and even reposted a vile social media video on Saturday falsely alleging Walz was behind the assassination of former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman.
The Democratic speaker was killed in her home last year, along with her husband and their dog, as part of a politically motivated attack.
Walz described Trump’s conspiracy theory repost as “dangerous, depraved behavior from the sitting president of the United States,” while Hortman’s children, Colin and Sophie, demanded that Trump remove the post from his Truth Social account.
“My father and mother, Mark and Melissa Hortman, and their dog Gilbert, were killed by a man who believed conspiracy theories and fake news,” Colin wrote.
“Words matter. Sharing fake news is dangerous.”
Walz’s departure, only four months after he announced he would seek another term, marks a major shake-up in Minnesota politics heading into the 2026 midterms.
It is also a remarkable political fall for a politician who was catapulted to the national stage in 2024 as the Democratic vice presidential nominee.
Presidential candidate Kamala Harris picked the former teacher and football coach as her running mate merely 91 days before the election, describing him as a “fighter for the middle class” and a “leader who will help unite our nation.”
But sagging approval ratings and heightened scrutiny into fraud safety net programs in recent months prompted growing calls for Walz to stand down.
“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,” he said.
“So I’ve decided to step out of the race and let others worry about the election while I focus on the work.”
Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar is reportedly considering a run for governor but has not made a final decision.
