Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar announced Thursday that she will run for Governor of Minnesota, seeking to replace two-term Governor Tim Walz, who recently said he would not seek a third term. Walz stepped aside earlier this month after facing criticism from Trump administration, which accused the state of failing to uncover alleged COVID relief fraud at Minnesota child care facilities.
Immigration enforcement
Klobuchar’s announcement comes as Minnesota has drawn national and international attention over increased immigration enforcement by the Trump administration. Two US citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, were fatally shot by immigration enforcement officials. In her campaign statement, Klobuchar also referred to an August 2025 school shooting in Minneapolis and the 2025 assassination of the Democratic leader of the Minnesota House of Representatives.
“We cannot sugarcoat how hard this is. But in these moments of enormous difficulty, we find strength in our Minnesota values of hard work, freedom, and simple decency and goodwill,” Klobuchar said. “These times call for leaders who can stand up and not be rubber stamps of this administration, but who are also willing to find common ground and fix things in our state.”
Klobuchar said she plans to lead as a bipartisan governor, pointing to her record in the Senate, where she has worked across party lines to pass legislation. She said her experience advancing bipartisan bills shows she can stand up to federal pressure while still finding practical solutions for Minnesota.
The governor’s race has also been unsettled on the Republican side. Earlier this week, Republican Chris Madel said he would withdraw from the race in protest of the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement policies.
The Republican field remains crowded and includes Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth, 2022 gubernatorial nominee Scott Jensen, and MyPillow founder Mike Lindell. Trump has already endorsed Lindell in the Republican primary.
Who is Amy Klobuchar?
Klobuchar is serving her fourth term in the US Senate and was re-elected in 2024 with 56% of the vote. She is by far the highest-profile Democrat to enter the governor’s race so far. Several prominent Democrats, including Senator Tina Smith and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, have already said they will not seek the office. She is widely known as a centrist Democrat with a focus on healthcare, consumer protection, election security reform, and climate policy.
Klobuchar was born on May 25, 1960, in Plymouth, Minnesota. She graduated from Yale University and the University of Chicago Law School, then worked as a prosecutor and later as Hennepin County attorney before entering national politics.
She was first elected to the Senate in 2006, becoming Minnesota’s first elected female US senator. During her time in Washington, she chaired the Senate Rules Committee and played a key role in bipartisan efforts such as the Electoral Count Reform Act and the Freedom to Vote Act framework.
Klobuchar ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020 before suspending her campaign and endorsing Joe Biden. She has previously supported Barack Obama in 2008 and Hillary Clinton in 2016. Financial disclosures estimate her net worth to be between $471,000 and $2.615 million.