Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz ends reelection bid amid child-care fraud scandal

(NEW YORK) -- Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a Democrat, announced Monday that he would drop his bid for reelection as governor, saying that he would not be able to give a campaign all of his attention as he works to defend Minnesota against allegations of fraud and right-wing attacks -- including from President Donald Trump.

"In September, I announced that I would run for a historic third term as Minnesota's Governor. And I have every confidence that, if I gave it my all, I would succeed in that effort," Walz wrote in a statement Monday.

"But as I reflected on this moment with my family and my team over the holidays, I came to the conclusion that I can't give a political campaign my all. Every minute I spend defending my own political interests would be a minute I can't spend defending the people of Minnesota against the criminals who prey on our generosity and the cynics who prey on our differences."

Walz, who served as Vice President Kamala Harris' running mate in 2024, had come under fire in recent weeks amid allegations of fraud in child-care centers in Minnesota. Walz had said the state was investigating alleged fraud and slammed how rhetoric targeting the state's Somali community about the allegations could put people at risk.

Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar met with Walz over the weekend about a possible bid for governor, according to two sources familiar with the meeting.

This comes as a source close to Klobuchar tells ABC News that she’s been getting a lot of outreach encouraging her to run. She is considering the bid, according to two sources, but hasn’t made a final decision.

Representatives for Klobuchar, who won reelection to the Senate in 2024, did not immediately respond to ABC News' requests for comment.

Walz was the subject of Trump's frequent criticism -- with the president claiming he was "a Crooked Governor" in a recent social media post.

The president commented on Walz's decision in a social media post on Monday, saying Walz "destroyed the State of Minnesota."

Walz would have made history if he won the governorship in 2026, as previously no Minnesota governor has won a third consecutive four-year term.

The Democratic Governors Association, the arm of the Democratic Party focused on electing Democratic governors, released a statement on Monday praising Walz for his work without endorsing any other potential candidates. 

"No matter who decides to run or how much national Republicans want to spend, the DGA remains very confident Minnesotans will elect another strong Democratic governor this November," DGA chair and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear wrote in a statement. 

On the Republican side, longtime Trump loyalist and CEO of MyPillow Mike Lindell announced in December that he is running for governor of Minnesota. Lindell has already been endorsed by Trump.

Walz also has been viewed as a potential 2028 presidential hopeful, and visited a few key presidential battleground states in 2025, although he has previously downplayed the prospect of running for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Walz, in his statement announcing he would not seek reelection, had harsh words for Trump and Republicans who have excoriated the state for alleged child-care fraud and said that it occurred on Walz's watch.

"I won't mince words here," Walz wrote. "Donald Trump and his allies -- in Washington, in St. Paul, and online -- want to make our state a colder, meaner place."

Saying that the state government had taken steps to investigate fraud, and continues to work on combating it, Walz said Minnesota "will win the fight against the fraudsters. But the political gamesmanship we're seeing from Republicans is only making that fight harder to win."

Republicans celebrated Walz's announcement on Monday. House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, a Republican representing Minnesota, wrote in a short statement reacting to Walz's announcement, "Good riddance."

"It’s been failure after failure for Tim Walz, so it’s no surprise he chickened out of running for re-election," Republican National Committee Regional Communications Director Delanie Bomar wrote in a separate statement on Monday.

Minnesota has been under scrutiny in recent weeks over yearslong investigations and controversies about alleged fraud in child-care centers. 

According to federal charges filed over the past couple of years, at least 70 people were part of a wide-ranging criminal conspiracy that exploited two federally funded nutrition programs to fraudulently obtain more than $250 million in one of the largest COVID-era fraud schemes anywhere in the nation.

The defendants allegedly used a Minnesota-based nonprofit organization called Feeding Our Future to avoid tough scrutiny from the Minnesota Department of Education, which was supposed to be conducting oversight of the programs.

More scrutiny came recently after an unverified online video from conservative influencer Nick Shirley alleging fraud in child care in Somali communities in Minneapolis. Minnesota officials have disputed the allegations. During more recent site checks, officials said locations highlighted by the video were operating as expected.

Last week, an official with the Department of Health and Human Services said that the Trump administration is pausing child-care funding to all states after the Minnesota allegations emerged. The official said the funds will be released "only when states prove they are being spent legitimately."

"Republicans are playing politics with the future of our state," Walz said in his statement on Monday. "And it's shameful."

ABC News' Laura Romero and Mike Levine contributed to this report.

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