Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota has announced that he will not be running for the U.S. Senate in 2026 and instead plans to seek a third term as governor. His spokesman stated that Walz loves his job as governor and is exploring the possibility of continuing his work to make Minnesota the best state in the country for kids. By staying out of the Senate race, Walz opens up a potentially competitive primary contest for the seat.
This decision also positions Walz to potentially enter the 2028 Democratic presidential primary, as he had previously indicated in an interview. By focusing on re-election, Walz avoids a Senate primary battle with his lieutenant governor, Peggy Flanagan, who recently announced her candidacy for the seat. Several other Minnesota Democrats, including Keith Ellison, Angie Craig, Ilhan Omar, and Melissa Hortman, are considering running for the Senate seat as well.
On the Republican side, candidates like Royce White and Adam Schwarze have announced their intentions to run, with Michelle Tafoya also considering entering the race. As for the governor’s race, no candidates have emerged yet. Walz had previously won general election victories in 2018 and 2022, but the state has been closely contested in recent presidential elections. Walz is not expected to endorse a candidate in the Senate primary, leaving the field open for a competitive race in Minnesota.
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