U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar announced Thursday she will run for governor of Minnesota, giving Democrats a high-profile candidate to defend the office as the state grapples with federal immigration operations and fraud controversies.
The 65-year-old senator made the announcement in a video posted to social media, referencing recent fatal shootings by federal agents and the state’s ongoing challenges.
“Minnesotans, we’ve been through a lot,” Klobuchar said. “I believe this moment calls for grit, resilience, and faith in each other. I believe we must stand up for what’s right. And fix what’s wrong.”
Klobuchar’s entry comes three weeks after Gov. Tim Walz dropped his bid for a third term amid scrutiny of a massive fraud scandal involving COVID-era programs. The announcement had been delayed from Monday following the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by federal agents during a protest.
In her announcement, Klobuchar specifically addressed the recent deaths of U.S. citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti, who were shot and killed by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis earlier this month. The incidents have sparked widespread protests and national debate over Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations.
“I’m running for every Minnesotan who wants ICE and its abusive tactics out of the state we love,” Klobuchar said in the video.
She also referenced the fraud issue, saying: “I don’t like fraud or waste in government. That’s why I went after crime as county attorney. I will make sure the people who steal taxpayer money go to jail and root out the fraud by changing the way state government works.”
Klobuchar, who is serving her fourth term in the Senate, was first elected in 2006 after eight years as Hennepin County attorney. She won her most recent reelection in 2024 by nearly 16 percentage points, receiving 135,000 more votes than Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris in Minnesota.
The senator briefly ran for president in 2020, placing fifth in the Iowa caucuses and third in the New Hampshire primary before dropping out ahead of Super Tuesday and endorsing Joe Biden.
If Klobuchar wins the governorship, either Walz or Klobuchar herself, depending on timing, would appoint a temporary replacement to fill her Senate seat until a special election. If unsuccessful, she would retain her Senate seat, as her term does not end until 2031.
Klobuchar faces no Democratic challengers at present, though several state officials have been mentioned as potential candidates. The Republican field is crowded, with House Speaker Lisa Demuth, former state Sen. Scott Jensen, MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell and Army veteran Kendall Qualls among those running.
Republican response was swift. The Republican Governors Association called her a “failed presidential candidate” and said she would have to answer for the fraud scandal that prompted Walz’s exit.
“Not only is Amy Klobuchar going to have to answer for fellow Democrat Tim Walz’s blatant mismanagement that left Minnesota taxpayers being swindled out of billions of dollars, she has to answer for her own record,” RGA Communications Director Courtney Alexander said.
Some Republicans expressed concern about Klobuchar’s entry. Former GOP Gov. Tim Pawlenty told Minnesota Public Radio that she “would be a very, very formidable candidate in that race and so it changes everything.”
Klobuchar joins Colorado Democrat Michael Bennet, Tennessee Republican Marsha Blackburn and Alabama Republican Tommy Tuberville as sitting senators seeking to lead their home states in 2026. She is the fourth U.S. senator from Minnesota to run for governor since 1913.
Minnesota has not elected a Republican governor in nearly 20 years. Klobuchar’s proven ability to win statewide by double-digit margins gives Democrats a strong candidate as they seek to maintain control of the office.
The Minnesota gubernatorial election is scheduled for Nov. 3, 2026, with primary elections set for Aug. 11.
