Walz ends his campaign for a third term: What it means for Minnesota politics

MPR News with Angela Davis · Jan 5, 2026 · 1h 7m

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz announced this morning that he is ending his campaign for a third term. He said he made the decision after consulting with family and friends over the holidays.

Walz’s departure from the race comes as reports of fraud in state-run social service programs in Minnesota escalated in recent weeks.

MPR News guest host Catharine Richert talks with two political scientists about Walz’s announcement and the race to replace him.

Guests:

Kathryn Pearson is a professor of political science at the University of Minnesota. She is also an associate dean of undergraduate education…