Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz says his time as a politician is over.
“I will never run for an elected office again. Never again,” Walz, the Democratic Party’s 2024 vice presidential nominee, mentioned in an interview with MS NOW.
Facing stinging criticism from President Donald Trump, different Republicans, and even some Democrats over a large fraud scandal rocking Minnesota, Walz earlier this month introduced that he was dropping his 2026 bid for an unprecedented third time period as governor of the blue-leaning state.
But on the time, he didn’t rule out any future runs for elected office.
Since Walz’s announcement, the state has change into the epicenter within the heated battle over Trump’s unprecedented crackdown on unlawful immigration, following the deadly shootings by federal brokers of two US residents in Minneapolis who protested in opposition to federal brokers throughout deportation operations.
Pointing to the protests in opposition to the actions by federal brokers, Walz mentioned there are “heroes on the streets that we don’t know their names.”
“They’re never going to run for office, and those grass-tops leaders brought this administration to their knees this week to do something about it. So there’s other ways to serve, and I’ll find them,” the governor added in his Wednesday interview.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz vowed that his time as a politician is over. CNN
Walz launched his re-election bid in September however in December began going through a barrage of incoming political fireplace over the large-scale theft, below his watch as governor, in a state that has lengthy prided itself on good governance.
More than 90 folks — most from Minnesota’s massive Somali neighborhood — have been charged since 2022.
How a lot cash has been stolen via alleged cash laundering operations involving fraudulent meal and housing packages, daycare facilities and Medicaid providers continues to be being tabulated.
But the US legal professional in Minnesota mentioned the scope of the fraud may exceed $1 billion and rise to as excessive as $9 billion.
Walz earlier this month introduced that he was dropping his 2026 bid for an unprecedented third time period as governor of Minnesota. AP
Federal prosecutors mentioned among the dozens which have already pleaded responsible within the case used the cash to purchase luxurious vehicles, actual property, jewellery and worldwide holidays, with among the funds additionally despatched abroad and probably into the fingers of Islamic terrorists.
“This is on my watch, I am accountable for this and, more importantly, I am the one that will fix it,” Walz advised reporters in December, as he took accountability for the scandal.
Minnesota has change into the epicenter within the heated battle over Trump’s unprecedented crackdown on unlawful immigration, following the deadly shootings by federal brokers of two protesters since Walz’s announcement. through REUTERS
Nearly a dozen Republicans who’re working to succeed Walz within the governor’s office are making the fraud scandal central to their campaigns.
And on Thursday, as anticipated, longtime Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar launched a gubernatorial marketing campaign, giving her get together a giant enhance because it goals to defend the governor’s office.
The 61-year-old Walz was raised in rural Nebraska and enlisted within the Army National Guard in 1981, quickly after graduating from highschool.
Longtime Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar launched a gubernatorial marketing campaign to succeed Walz. AFP through Getty Images
Walz returned to Nebraska to attend Chadron State College, the place he graduated in 1989 with a level in social science schooling.
He taught English and American History in China for one 12 months via a program at Harvard University earlier than being employed in 1990 as a highschool instructor and soccer and basketball coach in Nebraska. Six years later, he moved to Mankato, Minnesota, to show geography at Mankato West High.
Walz was deployed to Italy to help Operation Enduring Freedom in 2003 earlier than retiring two years later from the National Guard.
He was elected to the House in 2006 and re-elected 5 instances, representing Minnesota’s 1st Congressional District, a principally rural district protecting the southern a part of the state that features numerous midsize cities.
Federal brokers stand close to police tape as demonstrators collect close to the location the place a person was shot by federal brokers earlier within the morning in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on January 24, 2026. AFP through Getty Images
During his final two years on Capitol Hill, he served as rating member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee.
Walz gained election as governor in 2018 and re-election 4 years later.
But Walz was unknown to many Americans when then-Vice President Kamala Harris selected the Minnesota governor as her working mate in the summertime of 2024, quickly after she changed then-President Joe Biden because the Democrats’ presidential nominee.
Walz, throughout his three months as working mate, visually and vocally embraced the standard function of political assault canine that has lengthy been related with vice presidential nominees.
But Harris and Walz fell brief, dropping the November 2024 election to Trump and now-Vice President JD Vance, because the Democratic Party ticket was swept in all seven essential battleground states.
Pundits thought of Walz a doable contender for the Democratic Party’s 2028 presidential nomination.
But Walz mentioned in a number of interviews final summer season that he had little interest in looking for the presidency.
And the continuing fraud scandal and his choice to finish his gubernatorial re-election put an finish to Walz’s latest tenure in nationwide politics.
