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Minnesota governor's race: GOP Rep. Kristin Robbins drops out

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Published  May 1, 2026 1:23pm CDT
Politics
FOX 9

The Brief

    • Kristin Robbins, who launched her bid for the Minnesota governor's race in August, has dropped out of the race.
    • Rep. Robbins, whose district includes Maple Grove, said she aimed to defeat Gov. Tim Walz after years of "fraud, tax increases, and out-of-control government spending."
    • She said she will continue to serve her district as a representative until January 2027, when she will transition back to becoming a private citizen.

MAPLE GROVE, Minn. (FOX 9) - Rep. Kristin Robbins (R-Maple Grove), has dropped out of the Minnesota governor's race, saying she believes the best way to fight for the future of the state is from the outside of the political system. 

READ MORE: Republican Rep. Kristin Robbins launches bid for Minnesota governor

Kristin Robbins drops out of Minnesota governor race

What they're saying:

Rep. Robbins announced she is suspending her campaign for governor of Minnesota on Friday morning.

In her letter, she claimed that the state's "establishment political class, media and donors anointed Amy Klobuchar, despite her refusal to engage meaningfully on the issues that matter most to Minnesotans."

She said she was motivated to run against Gov. Tim Walz after years of "fraud, tax increases, and out-of-control government spending" that happened under his watch. Since her announcement, Gov. Walz announced he will not run for reelection. 

"Minnesota faces a choice: we can be the next state to fall to socialism, OR we can be the firewall that stops the spread of this ideology that has caused millions around the world to suffer in the name of ‘equality.’ Socialism creates a bifurcated society that allows the powerful to live in luxury on the fruits of corruption, insulated from the effects of their policies that keep the masses trapped in government-run housing, education, and healthcare," Rep Robbins said in her announcement. 

She also thanked her supporters and said she believes Minnesotans will make the right choice. 

The backstory:

Robbins represented District 37A in the Minnesota House of Representatives since winning the seat in 2018. 

She chairs the Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Committee, is vice chair of the Ways and Means Committee, and is a member of the Taxes and Higher Education Committees. 

What's next:

According to the state's Campaign Finance Board, other GOP candidates include Peggy Bennett, Lisa Demuth, Patrick Knight, John Krhin, Mike Lindell, Phillip Parrish and Kendall Qualls.

Robbins told FOX News Digital that she does not intend to endorse anyone. 

The Source: This story uses information shared by Kristin Robbins for Governor and previous FOX 9 reporting. 

PoliticsMinnesotaMaple Grove