Gov. Tim Walz Ends 2026 Bid, Shaking Up Minnesota Politics
Governor Tim Walz announced he will not seek a third term in 2026, triggering a wide-open race for Minnesota’s highest office.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz Ends Campaign, Opens 2026 Race
ST. PAUL—Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, the two-term DFL leader who steered the state through pandemic shutdowns, civil unrest and a historic budget surplus, announced Monday he will not seek a third term in 2026, instantly scrambling the state’s political map.
The Announcement
Walz, 60, delivered the surprise in a three-minute video recorded on the steps of the State Capitol, flanked by his wife Gwen and their two children.
“After 18 years in elected office, it’s time to pass the torch,” Walz said, voice cracking. “I will serve out my term with the same energy I brought on day one, but I will not put my name on the ballot in 2026.”
The announcement ends months of speculation that Walz—who won reelection by eight points in 2022—would try to defy Minnesota’s unofficial two-term tradition for governors. Instead, he joins a growing list of Midwestern Democrats stepping aside, including Wisconsin’s Tony Evers and Michigan’s Gretchen Whitmer, both term-limited.
What Happens Next
Within minutes of the video release, potential successors began jockeying for position. Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan, Attorney General Keith Ellison and U.S. Representatives Angie Craig and Dean Phillips all signaled they are “seriously considering” a run, according to multiple DFL operatives.
On the Republican side, 2022 nominee Scott Jensen said he is “praying with my family about another campaign,” while Hennepin County Sheriff Rich Stanek launched an exploratory committee within hours of Walz’s statement.
- The 2026 race will be Minnesota’s first open-seat governor’s contest since 2010.
- No sitting lieutenant governor has won the top job since 1978.
- Republicans have not captured the Minnesota governorship since Tim Pawlenty’s 2006 reelection.
Legacy Items
Walz’s tenure was defined by crisis management and progressive expansion. He signed a $72 billion budget that delivered free school meals, climate initiatives and the largest tax cut in state history, while weathering criticism over pandemic-era mandates and the response to the 2020 George Floyd protests.
“History will remember him as the education governor,” said DFL Chair Ken Martin. “Free breakfast and lunch alone affect 80,000 kids a day.”
Republicans counter that Walz leaves behind a surplus transformed into a projected shortfall and rising crime rates in the Twin Cities.
“He’s exiting before the bill comes due,” said Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson.
The 2026 Landscape
With no incumbent, both parties expect a record-setting money race. The 2022 contest topped $50 million combined; operatives predict that mark could fall by next summer.
Secretary of State Steve Simon confirmed the filing period opens May 19, 2026, with the primary set for Aug. 11. The general election will share a ballot with a U.S. Senate seat currently held by Democrat Tina Smith, creating a potential turnout wildcard.
“An open governor’s seat in a presidential off-year is political lightning in a bottle,” said Carleton College analyst Steven Schier. “Every county commissioner, mayor and legislator is recalculating tonight.”
For Walz, the future remains unwritten. He declined to rule out a 2028 congressional comeback or a cabinet post in a future Democratic administration, telling reporters only: “I’m a retired Command Sergeant Major—don’t ever count me out.”