Amy Klobuchar Launches Run for Minnesota Governor

U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar announced Thursday in a campaign video that she is running for Minnesota governor and pledged to oppose federal immigration enforcement she said is harming communities.

Her bid follows Gov. Tim Walz's decision earlier this month to end his 2026 re-election campaign amid criticism over mismanagement of state child care programs, giving Democrats a high-profile candidate to defend the governorship.

Republicans including MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell, Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth, Dr. Scott Jensen and state Rep. Kristin Robbins are campaigning for the GOP nomination, and both parties are framing immigration and fraud as central issues, analysts said.

Roughly 3,000 federal immigration agents have been deployed in Minnesota, the U.S. attorney has said alleged child care fraud could exceed $1 billion and reach $9 billion, and more than 90 people have been charged since 2022, records show.

Klobuchar is not up for Senate re-election in 2026 and could retain her U.S. Senate seat if she loses the governor's race, while the November 2026 contest is expected to hinge on immigration enforcement and alleged fraud, analysts said.