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Minnesota's embattled Democrat governor drops bid for third term amidst fraud scandal

Minnesota's embattled Democrat governor drops bid for third term amidst fraud scandal


Minnesota's embattled Democrat governor drops bid for third term amidst fraud scandal

ST PAUL, Minn. — Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Democrats' 2024 candidate for vice president, is ending his bid for a third term as governor amidst a major scandal involving allegations that mostly Somali-run child care centers and other entities in Minnesota have been illegally getting billions of dollars in federal funding. More than 100 people have already been indicted.

Less than four months after announcing his reelction 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.”

"The political gamesmanship we’re seeing from Republicans is only making that fight harder to win," Walz charged in a statement.

"But as I reflected on this moment with my family and my team over the holidays, I came to the conclusion that I can’t give a political campaign my all," the governor added. "Every minute I spend defending my own political interests would be a minute I can’t spend defending the people of Minnesota against the criminals who prey on our generosity and the cynics who prey on our differences."

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.