Democratic U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota speaks throughout a listening to on Capitol Hill on December 3, 2025 in Washington, DC.
Anna Moneymaker/Getty Photographs North America
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Anna Moneymaker/Getty Photographs North America
ST. PAUL, Minnesota — Sen. Amy Klobuchar introduced her run for Minnesota governor early Thursday with a video posted on X, following Gov. Tim Walz’s latest announcement that he was ending his bid for a 3rd time period within the function.
“Minnesotans, we have been by lots,” Klobuchar mentioned within the video, occurring to recount a number of tragedies the state has confronted in latest months, together with the separate shootings of two Americans by ICE brokers.
“We can’t sugar coat how onerous that is,” she mentioned. “However in these moments of monumental issue, we discover power in our Minnesota values of onerous work, freedom and easy decency and good will.”
“I consider we are going to rise up for what’s proper and repair what’s incorrect,” Klobuchar added earlier than making it official. “That is why, at the moment, I am saying my candidacy for governor of Minnesota.”
Minnesotans, we’ve been by lots.
And I consider this second requires grit, resilience, and religion in one another.
I consider we should rise up for what’s proper. And repair what’s incorrect.
Immediately, I’m saying my candidacy for Governor. pic.twitter.com/yVnbvmMyxO
— Amy Klobuchar (@amyklobuchar) January 29, 2026
Klobuchar, who received a fourth Senate time period in 2024, has racked up double digit wins in every of her races. In 2020, she ran an unsuccessful presidential marketing campaign amongst a crowded discipline of Democratic candidates.
When Minnesota’s Democratic Gov. Tim Walz introduced that he would drop his bid for reelection, the concept of Klobuchar getting into the race started to emerge.
“I like my job very a lot,” Klobuchar informed Minnesota Public Radio on Wednesday, forward of Thursday’s announcement. “And Minnesota has given me this honor of serving them within the Senate. However I like my state extra.”
Walz confronted criticism from state Republicans to President Trump for allegations of rampant social-services fraud on his watch. There isn’t any proof that Walz took half within the fraud or dedicated another crimes, however his political opponents say that he didn’t cease the wholesale theft of taxpayer funds throughout his time in workplace.
As a sitting governor, Walz was not going through any competitors from different Democratic hopefuls. But greater than a dozen Republicans are within the governor’s race, together with Home Speaker Lisa Demuth, the state’s high Republican, businessman Kendall Qualls, state Rep. Kristin Robbins, and My Pillow founder and CEO Mike Lindell.
Klobuchar’s entrance might upend that GOP discipline as effectively, as a number of the candidates reassess their possibilities of defeating a sturdy statewide official as an alternative of the politically wounded Walz.
Final week, when Klobuchar filed preliminary paperwork to run for governor, the Minnesota Republican Get together referred to as on her to resign from the Senate whereas she campaigns for one more workplace.
“Minnesota wants a governor who’s all in—not a Washington insider operating a gutless political audition,” Minnesota Republican Get together Chair Alex Plechash mentioned in an announcement. “If Klobuchar cannot even select which job she desires, Minnesotans will be assured she will not have the spine to repair the issues Democrats created.”
Former Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty is amongst those that have mentioned Republicans’ probabilities at profitable the governor’s seat for the primary time in 20 years would weaken if Klobuchar joined the race.
“That is going to basically change the governor’s race in Minnesota,” Pawlenty informed MPR Information. “She could be a really, very formidable candidate in that race and so it adjustments all the things.”
