Minnesota hasn't elected a Republican governor since 2006. Senator Amy Klobuchar wants to keep it that way.
On January 29, 2026, she announced her candidacy for governor. She entered the race three weeks after Tim Walz dropped his bid for a third term amid a fraud scandal prosecutors say could total $9 billion in stolen state funds. Early polling shows Klobuchar leading all potential Republican opponents by 14 to 20 percentage points.
On February 4, precinct caucuses set the GOP primary field: House Speaker Lisa Demuth led with 31.8%, followed by businessman Kendall Qualls at 25.2% and MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell at 17.6%. Hours after Klobuchar's January 29 announcement, Border Czar Tom Homan signaled the federal government may cut its immigration enforcement presence in Minnesota if state officials cooperate. Federal immigration agents have killed two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis since January 7.
A federal judge found ICE violated at least 96 court orders in Minnesota in January alone. Thousands joined a nationwide general strike on January 30 to protest the immigration crackdown. A mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic School killed two children in August 2025.
Former House Speaker Melissa Hortman was assassinated in June 2025. The four-term senator frames her candidacy around these traumas: "We cannot sugarcoat how hard this is." House Republicans have summoned Walz to testify at a March 4 hearing on the fraud allegations.
On February 2, the Department of Homeland Security announced all deployed law enforcement officers would be issued body cameras. If elected, Klobuchar would become Minnesota's first female governor. No major party has even nominated a woman for the office.
25 events
Latest: February 4th, 2026 · 4 months ago
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February 2026
GOP precinct caucuses reveal Demuth as frontrunner
LatestCampaign
Minnesota Republican precinct caucuses show House Speaker Lisa Demuth winning decisively with 31.8%, followed by Kendall Qualls (25.2%) and Mike Lindell (17.6%). Results establish Demuth as the GOP primary frontrunner heading into the endorsement process.
Klobuchar leads all GOP candidates in early polling
Campaign
KSTP/SurveyUSA poll shows Klobuchar leading all potential Republican opponents by 14 to 20 percentage points, with strong support among Democrats (89%), independents, and crossover Republicans.
DHS deploys body cameras for all agents in Minnesota
Policy
Department of Homeland Security announces that all deployed law enforcement officers in Minnesota will be issued body cameras, a response to controversies surrounding Operation Metro Surge.
January 2026
Federal judge denies request to halt Operation Metro Surge
Legal
U.S. District Judge Katherine Menendez denies Minnesota's motion for a temporary restraining order, allowing Operation Metro Surge to continue while the broader lawsuit proceeds. The judge calls the consequences 'profound and even heart breaking' but rules Minnesota has not met its burden of proof.
Nationwide general strike protests ICE surge
Campaign
Thousands march through downtown Minneapolis as part of nationwide demonstrations calling for an end to Operation Metro Surge. Protests occur in all 50 states following calls for Americans to skip work, school, and shopping.
Congressional fraud hearing rescheduled to March 4
Legal
House Oversight Committee confirms Governor Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison will testify on March 4, 2026 at 'Oversight of Fraud and Misuse of Federal Funds in Minnesota: Part II' hearing, rescheduled from original February 10 date.
Klobuchar announces gubernatorial campaign
Campaign
Senator Amy Klobuchar announces her candidacy for Minnesota governor, becoming the immediate DFL frontrunner and potentially the state's first female governor.
Border Czar signals potential ICE drawdown
Policy
Tom Homan announces federal government is developing plans to reduce immigration enforcement presence in Minnesota, contingent on state and local cooperation.
Homan takes over Minnesota immigration operation
Policy
Border Czar Tom Homan arrives in Minnesota and removes Greg Bovino from command of Operation Metro Surge, signaling operational changes and potential drawdown if state officials cooperate with federal authorities.
Federal judge finds ICE violated 96+ court orders
Legal
U.S. District Judge Patrick Schiltz rules that ICE violated at least 96 court orders in Minnesota since January 1, 2026 during Operation Metro Surge.
Minnesota sues to halt ICE surge
Legal
Attorney General Keith Ellison, Minneapolis, and Saint Paul file federal lawsuit seeking to end Operation Metro Surge, arguing it serves 'retribution' rather than legitimate enforcement purposes.
Republican Chris Madel exits gubernatorial race
Campaign
GOP attorney Chris Madel drops out of the Minnesota governor's race, calling Operation Metro Surge 'an unmitigated disaster' and saying he cannot support 'national Republicans' stated retribution' on Minnesota citizens.
Border Patrol agents kill Alex Pretti
Violence
Federal agents fatally shoot Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse and legal observer, amid anti-ICE protests in Minneapolis. Videos contradict DHS claims he brandished a weapon.
First general strike in 80 years
Campaign
Labor unions, community organizations, and faith leaders call for statewide demonstrations to oppose ICE operations and demand accountability—the first general strike in the United States in 80 years.
ICE reports 3,000 arrests in Operation Metro Surge
Policy
Department of Homeland Security announces 3,000 arrests in Minneapolis since the start of Operation Metro Surge, calling it the 'largest immigration operation ever.'
ICE agent kills Renee Good in Minneapolis
Violence
ICE agent Jonathan Ross fatally shoots 37-year-old U.S. citizen Renee Good during an immigration operation. Video contradicts federal claims she was 'weaponizing her SUV.'
Governor Walz drops reelection bid
Campaign
Tim Walz announces he will not seek a third term, citing the need to focus on addressing fraud allegations rather than campaigning. He says he will never run for office again.
Congressional hearing scheduled for Walz testimony
Legal
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer schedules February 10, 2026 public hearing, demanding Walz and Attorney General Ellison testify about fraud allegations and whistleblower retaliation.
December 2025
Qualls wins GOP gubernatorial straw poll
Campaign
Businessman Kendall Qualls wins Minnesota Republican Party straw poll with House Speaker Lisa Demuth second (90 votes) and Mike Lindell third (49 votes).
Mike Lindell announces gubernatorial bid
Campaign
MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell announces his candidacy for governor with Donald Trump's endorsement, joining the crowded Republican primary.
November 2025
House Speaker Demuth enters gubernatorial race
Campaign
Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth announces her campaign for the Republican gubernatorial nomination, positioning herself as an experienced legislator.
August 2025
Annunciation Catholic School mass shooting
Violence
A gunman kills two children and injures 28 others during Mass at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis. The FBI investigates it as domestic terrorism.
June 2025
Former House Speaker Hortman assassinated
Violence
Former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband are killed at their Brooklyn Park home by a gunman impersonating police. State Senator John Hoffman and his wife are shot the same morning.
September 2022
DOJ announces Feeding Our Future indictments
Legal
Federal prosecutors announce charges against 47 defendants in what they call the largest pandemic relief fraud scheme in the country.
September 2020
Feeding Our Future fraud begins scaling up
Background
The nonprofit Feeding Our Future, which claimed to feed children during COVID-19, begins dramatically expanding fraudulent meal claims during the pandemic.
Historical Context
3 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.
1 of 3
November 1998
Jesse Ventura's 1998 Third-Party Victory
Former professional wrestler Jesse Ventura won Minnesota's governorship as a Reform Party candidate, defeating Republican Norm Coleman and Democrat Hubert Humphrey III. He captured 37% of the vote in a three-way race that stunned the political establishment.
Then
Ventura served one term but declined to seek reelection in 2002, citing the toll on his family from media scrutiny.
Now
The victory demonstrated Minnesota voters' willingness to make unconventional choices and reject establishment candidates, a dynamic some analysts see favoring Lindell's outsider candidacy.
Why this matters now
Lindell supporters cite Ventura as proof Minnesotans will elect unconventional figures. Critics note Ventura had crossover appeal Lindell lacks—Ventura won by running as a fiscal conservative and social moderate, while Lindell is defined by partisan election denialism.
When Tim Pawlenty left office in January 2011, he was replaced by Democrat Mark Dayton. Republicans have lost every subsequent gubernatorial election: 2014 (Dayton reelected), 2018 (Walz), and 2022 (Walz reelected). The GOP has also lost every other statewide race during this period.
Then
Republicans have come close—Pawlenty won in 2006 by less than 1%, and several races have been competitive—but haven't broken through.
Now
The drought has become self-reinforcing: top-tier candidates avoid races they expect to lose, leaving the field to underfunded or flawed nominees.
Why this matters now
The fraud scandal and Walz's exit give Republicans their clearest path to victory in 20 years. But Klobuchar's entry restores the DFL's structural advantage: a proven vote-getter at the top of the ticket.
3 of 3
March 2020
2020 Democratic Senate Primary: Klobuchar's Exit and Endorsement
Amy Klobuchar dropped out of the presidential race just before Super Tuesday and endorsed Joe Biden. Her withdrawal helped consolidate moderate support behind Biden, who went on to win the nomination and the presidency.
Then
Klobuchar's endorsement was credited with helping Biden win Minnesota and establish momentum heading into the general election.
Now
The move demonstrated Klobuchar's willingness to prioritize party success over personal ambition, burnishing her reputation as a team player.
Why this matters now
Klobuchar's decision to leave the Senate for a governor's race reverses the typical political trajectory. It suggests she sees Minnesota's governorship as genuinely imperiled—or genuinely appealing—rather than a consolation prize.
