Walz Drops Bid for 3rd Term   01/05 09:10

   

   ST PAUL, Minn. (AP) -- Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Democrats' 2024 candidate 
for vice president, is ending his bid for a third term as governor amid 
President Donald Trump's relentless focus on a fraud investigation into 
child-care programs in the state.

   Less than four months after announcing his reelection campaign, Walz said 
Monday that he could no longer devote the energy necessary to win another term, 
even as he expressed confidence that he could win.

   Walz said in a statement Monday that he "can't give a political campaign my 
all" after what he described as an "extraordinarily difficult year for our 
state."

   "Donald Trump and his allies -- in Washington, in St. Paul, and online -- 
want to make our state a colder, meaner place," Walz said, referring to the 
Trump administration withholding funds for the programs. "They want to poison 
our people against each other by attacking our neighbors. And, ultimately, they 
want to take away much of what makes Minnesota the best place in America to 
raise a family."

   Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota is considering running for 
governor, according to a person close to her. The person, who wasn't authorized 
to speak publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity, said Klobuchar has 
not made a final decision.

   Around a dozen Republicans are already in the race. They include MyPillow 
founder and chief executive Mike Lindell, an election denier who is close to 
Trump. They also include Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth, of Cold Spring; 
Dr. Scott Jensen, a former state senator from Chaska who was the party's 2022 
candidate; state Rep. Kristin Robbins, of Maple Grove; defense lawyer and 
former federal prosecutor Chris Madel; former executive Kendall Qualls; and 
former Minnesota GOP Chair David Hann.

   Walz is a military veteran and union supporter who helped enact an ambitious 
Democratic agenda for his state, including sweeping protections for abortion 
rights and generous aid to families.

   Vice President Kamala Harris picked Walz as her running mate after his 
attack line against Trump and his running mate, then-Ohio Sen. JD Vance -- 
"These guys are just weird" -- spread widely.

   Walz had been building up his national profile since his and Harris' defeat 
in November. He was a sharp critic of Trump as he toured early caucus and 
primary states. In May, he called on Democrats in South Carolina to stand up to 
the Republican president, saying, "Maybe it's time for us to be a little 
meaner."

   Through two terms as governor, Walz has moved a liberal agenda through a 
closely divided legislature. In his first term, he navigated a Democratic-led 
House and a Republican-controlled Senate that resisted his proposals to use 
higher taxes to boost money for schools, health care and roads. But he helped 
broker compromises.

   He used the office's emergency power during the COVID-19 pandemic to shutter 
businesses and close schools, prompting Republican pushback.

   Republicans also were critical of Walz over what they saw as his slow 
response to sometimes violent unrest that followed the killing of George Floyd 
by a Minneapolis police officer in 2020.

   In his second term, Walz worked with Democratic majorities in both 
legislative chambers to chart a more liberal course in state government, aided 
by a huge budget surplus. Minnesota eliminated nearly all of the state abortion 
restrictions enacted in the past by Republicans, protected gender-affirming 
care for transgender youth and legalized the recreational use of marijuana.

   That, combined with Walz's rural background and experience representing 
southern Minnesota in Congress, landed him on Harris' radar as she considered 
potential running mates in her 2024 presidential bid. After a whirlwind search, 
she opted for Walz over other candidates including North Carolina's Roy Cooper, 
Kentucky's Andy Beshear, Pennsylvania's Josh Shapiro and former Transportation 
Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

   Walz got a warm welcome from Democratic voters but drew mixed reviews for 
his lone debate against his Vance.

   Minnesota has leaned Democratic in presidential and statewide contests in 
recent decades. Walz won his second term in 2022 by nearly 8 percentage points, 
but Trump narrowed Democrats' advantage to less than 5 points in 2024.