Sen. Amy Klobuchar announces bid for Minnesota governor

U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar announced she’s running for governor in Minnesota. In a post on X Thursday morning, she said, “I believe we must stand up for what’s right. And fix what’s wrong.”

The announcement comes after Gov. Tim Walz announced earlier this month that he would not seek a third term.

In her campaign announcement, Klobuchar focused on pressing issues in Minnesota, including health care, the cost of living and the current immigration efforts in Minneapolis.

“I’m running for every Minnesotan who wants ICE and its abusive tactics out of the state we love,” she said.

Political climate in Minnesota

Klobuchar is currently serving her fourth term as a senator, having been elected in 2006, and previously ran for president in the crowded 2020 Democratic primary.

She’s the only prominent Democrat to enter the 2026 race for governor after Walz’s announcement, and her bid comes at a prominent time for the state.

In addition to the ongoing immigration enforcement efforts across the state, Minnesota has also come under the microscope for alleged child care fraud. The fraud scandal was Walz’s main reason for not running again.

Should Klobuchar win the bid for governor, Minnesota could see a changeup for the Senate. Sen. Tina Smith is not seeking re-election, paving the way for a competitive primary in November.

And upon a Klobuchar win for governor, she would be in a position to appoint her replacement as Senator until the state could hold a special election. Her seat in the Senate is currently not up for re-election until 2030.

The race for governor

A win for Klobuchar, though, means she will have to defeat one of the Republicans in the already crowded gubernatorial primary.

Scott Jensen, the former state senator whom Walz defeated in 2022, MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell, state House Speaker Lisa Demuth, state Rep. Kristin Robbins and businessman Kendall Qualls are all in the running for governor.