Gov. Walz exits reelection bid: Revisiting pivotal moments during his tenure

(FOX 9) - Gov. Tim Walz announced on Monday that he is dropping his bid for a third term as he faces pressure over his handling of the state's fraud cases.

Here is a look back at Gov. Walz's time in office in Minnesota.

March 2017: Tim Walz runs for governor

Rep. Tim Walz announced his bid for governor in March 2017 after then-Governor Mark Dayton announced he wouldn't seek a third term. At the time, Walz was serving his fifth term in the U.S. Congress. In the DFL primary, Walz would defeat then-Rep. Erin Murphy and Attorney General Lori Swanson to earn the Democratic nomination.

In the general election, Walz would easily defeat Republican challenger Jeff Johnson.

January 2019: Tim Walz sworn in as Minnesota governor

On January 7, 2019, Gov. Tim Walz was sworn in for his first term as Minnesota governor. During his inaugural speech, Walz promised unity and to bring Minnesota together, building off his campaign slogan of "One Minnesota."

At the same time, he took vague shots at President Trump, decrying division under the president's first term and stating, "if Washington won't lead, Minnesota will."

March 2020: Gov. Walz declares COVID-19 emergency

As the coronavirus pandemic swept across the globe and country in the winter of 2019, Governor Tim Walz would declare a peacetime emergency on March 13, 2020 to deal with the pandemic. The emergency would come days after Minnesota would report its first case on March 6.

On March 15, the governor would order schools to close before ordering the closure of restaurants and bars the following day. On March 25, the governor would issue the stay-at-home order for Minnesota, telling Minnesotans to stay at home and limit movements outside their homes beyond essential needs to help slow the spread of the pandemic.

May 2020: George Floyd murdered

On Memorial Day 2020, George Floyd was killed after a police response to 38th and Chicago in Minneapolis. Police were called for the report of Floyd trying to use a counterfeit bill. The confrontation ended with Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on George Floyd's neck for nearly 9.5 minutes, leading to Floyd's death. Chauvin and his fellow officers – J. Alexander Kueng, Tou Thao, and Thomas Lane – would all be sentenced on charges related to Floyd's death. All but Chauvin have since been released from prison.

Floyd's death would cause a ripple effect, leading to nights of protests in Minneapolis that would turn violent. On the second night of protests, rioters would storm the Third Precinct in Minneapolis, setting the police building on fire. Gov. Walz would ultimately activate the Minnesota National Guard to assist with the riots. Walz would face criticism over his response to the riots during his 2022 gubernatorial campaign as well as during his bid for the vice presidency with Kamala Harris in 2024.

March 2021: State of Minnesota suspends payments to Feeding Our Future

In March 2021, the Minnesota Department of Education suspended payments to Feeding Our Future, alleging the nonprofit was engaged in fraud against a federal child nutrition program. The decision would ultimately spawn a lawsuit, FBI investigation, dozens of federal indictments and convictions, and the uncovering of millions of dollars in fraud that would in part lead to Monday's announcement that Governor Walz would suspend his campaign.

Despite suspending payments in March 2021, the Department of Education would later resume payments as a court case played out, and a federal investigation was underway. Payments were finally canceled in January 2022.

March 2023: Free school lunches bill signed

Gov. Walz signed a bill providing free school lunches to students in Minnesota regardless of their income.

May 2023: Recreational cannabis bill signed

On May 30, 2023, Governor Walz signed a bill legalizing recreational cannabis in Minnesota. The bill allowed for the adult use of cannabis, set up the framework for a cannabis marketplace in Minnesota, and expunged previous cannabis convictions.

August 2024: Walz tapped as Kamala Harris' VP pick

On August 6, 2024, Kamala Harris announced Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate in the 2024 presidential race. Walz was on the shortlist of candidates for the gig, along with Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona, and Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg. Walz's addition to the ticket came just over two weeks after Joe Biden dropped out of the presidential race.

The Harris-Walz ticket would end up losing the 2024 election to Trump-Vance by 312 to 226.

September 2025: Gov. Walz announces re-election bid

Touting accomplishments over his first two terms, including paid family leave, child tax credits, and investments in schools and public safety, Gov. Walz told his supporters: "We've made historic progress in our state, but we're not done yet. I'm staying in the fight – and I need you with me."

December 2025: Fraud cases re-examined

The pressure on the governor ramped up in November and December as new fraud schemes unraveled in Minnesota. In the fall, new charges were filed in the state's Housing Stabilization program. Then, the first charges were filed for alleged fraud in the autism program.

In December, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced a new batch of charges in the House Stabilization case and announced they were looking into fraud in the Integrated Community Supports program. During a news conference, Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson suggested that the fraud could end up totaling as much as $9 billion or more. The governor's office has pushed back against that estimate, saying there's no evidence the fraud is that rampant.

On Dec. 26, YouTuber Nick Shirley released a video intending to expose day care center fraud in Minnesota, which shone further national spotlight on Minnesota.

January 2026: Walz bows out of race

Less than four months after announcing he would run for a third term, Governor Walz decided to drop out of the race. The decision came as Walz faced increasing scrutiny over his handling of the state's fraud troubles.

In an address, the governor said he decided to drop out of the race to focus on the state's problems, saying doing so was becoming increasingly difficult with pressure from President Trump and Republican opponents.

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