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Challenging history between Gov. Walz and potential third term

By
Published  September 16, 2025 4:59pm CDT
Politics
FOX 9

The Brief

    • Gov. Tim Walz announced his campaign for a third term as governor Tuesday morning.
    • Nobody has won three consecutive terms since Minnesota went to four-year terms in 1958.
    • Walz's national spotlight is a double-edged sword. It means more access to donors, but also more scrutiny.

(FOX 9) - Minnesota Governor Tim Walz will make a third run for governor next year.

Walz running again

Campaign call:

He made the announcement Tuesday morning, and he’ll chase history on this campaign.

"I've always tried to do what's right for Minnesota," he said in a campaign announcement video.

And so started the campaign for Walz to win a third governor’s race.

Hard road

Unkind history:

But the road to stay in the office for a third term is poorly paved.

"It's always difficult, regardless of whether it's in Minnesota or anywhere, to really win that third term," said Hamline University political scientist David Schultz.

Nobody has ever won three consecutive terms since Minnesota went to four-year terms in 1958.

And his latest opponent says the governor’s new national notoriety could weigh him down.

"I think Gov. Walz has been a little bit exposed during his run as vice president with Kamala Harris," said Dr. Scott Jensen.

It’s a double-edged sword, though.

"I'll never stop fighting to protect us from the chaos, corruption and cruelty coming out of Washington," Walz said in the campaign video.

Walz now has more access to campaign donors outside of Minnesota and a political foil in the White House.

"I think he's going to run against Donald Trump, but remember also that the Trump administration has not made life very easy so far for the Walz administration," said Schultz.

"In the world of United States politics, I don't think any election can take place without President Trump being a potential factor," said Dr. Jensen.

Start your engines

In the race:

Jensen will battle Rep. Kristin Robbins and Kendall Qualls for the Republican nomination and the right to square off with Walz in November 2026.

But for the governor, the first leg of the race may play out in St. Paul this fall when he calls a special session on gun reform.

"I'm heartbroken and angry about the beautiful people we lost to gun violence," Walz said in the campaign video.

"I actually see that special session as Governor Walz's campaign relaunch," Schultz said. "He's going to come out hard wanting to ban assault rifles, almost no chance that it's going to happen. But I think that becomes the issue that he stakes his platform on in 2026, and perhaps going forward, if he were to run for president in 2028." 

PoliticsTim WalzElectionMinnesota