Amid Fraud Scandal, Walz Won’t Seek Third Term as Minnesota Governor

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz announced Monday he will drop his bid for a third term as governor after his state has been rocked by a fraud scandal. 

He also admitted “the buck stops with me” regarding the massive welfare fraud scandal, while also taking shots at President Donald Trump. 

Walz was the 2024 Democratic nominee for vice president on a ticket when Vice President Kamala Harris became the Democrat nominee for president. 

“Minnesota has to come first – always,” Walz said in a post on X. “Today, I’m proud of the work we’ve done to make Minnesota the best place to live and raise kids. I’ve decided to step out of the race and let others worry about the election while I focus on the work.”

The post included a more detailed statement about why he would not run, noting that 2025 has “extraordinarily difficult year for our state.”

“Donald Trump and his allies – in Washington, in St. Paul, and online – want to make our state a colder, meaner place,” Walz said. 

“They want to poison our people against each other by attacking our neighbors. And, ultimately, they want to take away much of what makes Minnesota the best place in America to raise a family.”

Amid the fraud arrests, the Trump administration has withheld funds for certain social programs.

The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee is scheduled to hold a hearing on the fraud on Wednesday, the committee’s first hearing of 2026. The panel has invited Walz to testify to the committee in February.

After blasting the president, Walz admitted that fraud was a problem in the state on his watch. 

“There’s more to do. A single taxpayer dollar wasted on fraud is a dollar too much to tolerate. And while there’s a role to play for everyone – from the legislature to prosecutors to insurance companies to local and county government – the buck stops with me,” Walz said in the statement.

“My administration is taking fast, decisive action to solve this crisis. And we will win the fight against the fraudsters.”

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