Gov. Walz likely to drop out of 2026 MN governor's race: Report
ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is likely to announce Monday that he will drop out of the 2026 governor's race, political insider Blois Olson reported on Sunday.
This story is no longer being updated. Gov. Walz announced on Jan. 5, 2026, that he would not be seeking reelection. Read the latest on this here.
Gov. Walz announcement
What we know:
Sunday afternoon, a spokesperson announced Governor Walz would hold a news conference at 11 a.m. to take questions and discuss "the news of the day." No other details about the press conference were shared by the governor's office.
Hours later, political insider Blois Olson reported that the governor was set to make an announcement about his political future on Monday, and he would "likely drop out of the 2026 race." Olson reports that the governor met with Senator Amy Klobuchar on Sunday to discuss the decision.
Tim Walz likely to drop out of 2026 Governor's race
Tim Walz is addressing his political future at 11 a.m. Monday, and according to political analyst Blois Olson, Walz is likely to announce he's dropping out of the 2026 race for Minnesota governor. Walz took office in January of 2019, and was the Democratic nominee for Vice President with Kamala Harris.
What you can do:
FOX 9 will carry that 11 a.m. news conference live on FOX 9 and FOX Local. You will be able to watch that live in the player above.
The backstory:
Gov. Walz has faced national criticism from President Trump, among others, for his handling of Medicaid fraud in the state. Republican opponents have accused Walz of being slow to respond to the fraud.
According to Olson, Walz has also faced pressure from his Democrat colleagues to make a decision on his 2026 run.
Walz likely to drop out of 2026 governor's race: Report
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is likely to drop out of the 2026 governor's race amid growing criticism over his administration's handling of fraud in the state, according to reports. Walz will hold a news conference at 11 a.m. on Monday.
What we don't know:
FOX 9 has not independently confirmed Olson's report. FOX 9 reached out to the governor's office late Sunday night for comment but has not yet heard back.
Big picture view:
On FOX 9 News at 10 p.m., Olson tells us Sen. Amy Klobuchar is on the list of possible contenders for the seat if Walz were to bow out of the race. Secretary of State Steve Simon is another name that could come up as a contender.