Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz spoke publicly Monday morning for the first time since announcing he will not seek reelection in 2026, delivering remarks at an 11 a.m. press conference from the Minnesota State Capitol.
Courtesy of Fox 9
Opening his statement, Walz acknowledged the strain of the past year. “Like many Minnesotans, I was glad to turn the page on 2025,” he said. “It was an extraordinarily difficult year for our state. And it ended on a particularly sour note.” He pointed to ongoing fraud in public programs, saying that while progress has been made against criminal activity, “we now see an organized group of political actors seeking to take advantage of the crisis.”
Walz directly criticized Republicans and national political figures, including Donald Trump, accusing them of exploiting the situation for political gain. “Donald Trump and his allies… want to make our state a colder, meaner place,” Walz said, adding that the politicization of fraud investigations is “disgusting” and “dangerous.”
At the same time, Walz emphasized accountability within his own administration. “Make no mistake: We should be concerned about fraud in our state government,” he said. “We cannot effectively deliver programs and services if we can’t earn the public’s trust.” He outlined steps taken in recent years, including seeking expanded authority from the legislature, terminating employees who failed in oversight roles, cutting off funding streams tied to criminal activity, and hiring new leadership focused on program integrity. “A single taxpayer dollar wasted on fraud is a dollar too much to tolerate,” Walz said. “And… the buck stops with me.”
Walz said his decision to exit the 2026 gubernatorial race was driven by the need to stay focused on governing rather than campaigning. “Every minute I spend defending my own political interests would be a minute I can’t spend defending the people of Minnesota,” he said. “So I’ve decided to step out of the race and let others worry about the election while I focus on the work.”
He added that he leaves the race “with zero sadness and zero regret,” explaining, “I didn’t run for this job so I could have this job. I ran for this job so I could do this job.” Walz concluded by reaffirming his commitment to serving Minnesotans through the remainder of his term. “Minnesota has to come first—always,” he said. “I’m on the job, 24/7… focused on making sure we stay America’s best place to live and raise kids.”
Walz did not take questions during Monday’s press conference but said he plans to hold another briefing later this week. He is also scheduled to testify next month before a Republican-led U.S. House Oversight Committee as investigations into state program fraud continue.
