Klobuchar's decision gives Democrats a high-profile candidate and proven statewide winner as their party tries to hold onto the office occupied by Gov. Tim Walz. The 2024 Democratic vice presidential nominee, Walz abandoned his campaign for a third term earlier this month amid criticism over mismanagement of taxpayer funding for child care programs.
“Minnesota, we've been through a lot,” Klobuchar said in a video announcement Thursday. “These times call for leaders who can stand up and not be rubber stamps of this administration — but who are also willing to find common ground and fix things in our state.”
Klobuchar cited Trump’s immigration crackdown in Minnesota, federal officers killing two violent anti-ICE protesters and a school shooting that killed multiple children — all within the last year. She avoided direct mention of ongoing fraud investigations into the child care programs that Trump has made a political cudgel.
“I believe we must stand up for what’s right and fix what’s wrong,” Klobuchar said.
The senator has been among the loudest Trump critics, most recently over the immigration enforcement effort that has prompted massive protests.
Multiple Republicans already are campaigning in what could become a marquee contest among 36 governorships on the ballot in November. Among those running for the GOP nomination are MyPillow founder and chief executive Mike Lindell.s.
Serving her fourth term in Washington, Klobuchar is a former local prosecutor and onetime presidential candidate who positions herself as a moderate and has demonstrated the ability to win across Minnesota.
The senator won her 2024 reelection bid by nearly 16 percentage points and received 135,000 more votes than Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris, who had chosen Walz as her running mate. Harris outpaced Trump by fewer than 5 percentage points.
