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ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz will deliver his final State of the State Address Tuesday night at the Capitol.
How to watch State of the State Address
Local perspective:
The address is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m., with lawmakers, Minnesota Supreme Court justices and other distinguished guests expected to be in attendance at the state Capitol.
Gov. Walz will likely reflect on both the past year and his eight years in office, while outlining what he hopes to accomplish in his final months as governor after ending his bid for a third term.
The speech can be watched live in the player above and on FOX 9’s YouTube page. Legislative leaders are expected to hold press conferences following the address.
Gov. Walz not seeking reelection
The backstory:
In September, Walz announced he’d be running for reelection in 2026, but later announced in January he was dropping out of the race, saying he can't give a political campaign his all after what he described as an "extraordinarily difficult year for our state."
The announcement came as he faced national criticism from President Donald Trump, among others, for his handling of fraud in Minnesota.
Looking back on Tim Walz's career
Dig deeper:
Walz was elected governor of Minnesota in 2018 and reelected in 2022 after serving several years as U.S. Representative for Minnesota’s First Congressional District. Before that, he was a teacher, coach and member of the Army National Guard.
He was Kamala Harris' running mate in the 2024 presidential election. He's continued to build up his national profile since they lost the presidential election, especially as a sharp critic of President Trump.
As governor, Walz has touted his accomplishments that include providing free school meals to all students in Minnesota, protecting reproductive freedom, cutting taxes for the middle class, and expanding paid leave for workers, among other policies.
Walz was born in Nebraska and after high school, he enlisted in the Army National Guard. He graduated from Chadron State College with a social science degree in 1989. He then spent a year teaching abroad before returning home to serve full-time in the National Guard and teach high school, as well as accept a coaching position.
Walz is married to Gwen Walz. They moved to Mankato, Minnesota, where they both worked at Mankato High School, where he taught social studies and helped coach the Mankato West football team.
He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2006, representing Minnesota’s First Congressional District, and was reelected for another five terms before running for governor of Minnesota.
Tim and Gwen Walz have two children, Hope and Gus Walz.
The Source: This story uses previous FOX 9 reporting.