Republican gubernatorial candidate Chris Madel announced Monday he is withdrawing from the Minnesota governor’s race, saying he cannot support the national Republican Party’s approach to immigration enforcement in his state.
“I cannot support the national Republicans’ stated retribution on the citizens of our state, nor can I count myself a member of a party that would do so,” Madel said in a video posted to X. The nearly 11-minute announcement came two days after Border Patrol agents shot and killed Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old U.S. citizen and ICU nurse.
Madel, a Minneapolis attorney, said in his video that while he initially supported Operation Metro Surge’s stated goal of detaining serious public safety threats, the operation “has expanded far beyond its stated focus on true public safety threats.”
“I have read about and I have spoken to help countless United States citizens who have been detained in Minnesota due to the color of their skin,” Madel said. He characterized the enforcement surge as “an unmitigated disaster” and said people are living in fear.
The announcement marks a significant moment for Madel, who earlier this month provided legal counsel to Jonathan Ross, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent who fatally shot Renee Good in South Minneapolis. Madel defended that decision, saying he believed the “constitutional right to counsel is sacrosanct.”
Madel also has experience representing law enforcement officers. He previously worked as the attorney for Minnesota State Patrol Trooper Ryan Londregan, who was charged with murder in the 2023 shooting death of motorist Ricky Cobb II. Those charges were eventually dropped.
The attorney said another reason for leaving the race was that “national Republicans have made it nearly impossible for a Republican to win a statewide election in Minnesota,” calling the aggressive immigration operation a “political liability.”
Several Republicans remain in the gubernatorial race, including businessman Kendall Qualls, Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth, and MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell. Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar has filed preliminary paperwork for a potential run but has not announced whether she will enter the race.
Minnesota has not elected a Republican governor in approximately 20 years. Current Gov. Tim Walz, a Democrat, announced earlier this month he would not seek a third term.
Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party Chair Richard Carlbom responded to Madel’s announcement by asking whether other Republicans would “stand up to Trump and stand with their fellow Minnesotans.”
Several Republican members of Congress have called for investigations into Pretti’s shooting. Sen. Pete Ricketts of Nebraska said he expected a “prioritized, transparent investigation into this incident.” Sen. Dave McCormick of Pennsylvania said there must be a “full investigation into the tragedy,” and Rep. Max Miller of Ohio said “there are serious unanswered questions about federal use of force in Minnesota.”
