(NEW YORK)– Sen. Amy Klobuchar announced on Thursday her candidacy for governor of Minnesota, saying her home state was in need of a leader who could “fix things in our state” and who would “stand up and not be rubber stamps” to the Trump administration.
“I believe we must stand up for what’s right and fix what’s wrong,” Klobuchar said in a video message announcing her run. “That’s why today, I am announcing my candidacy for governor of the state of Minnesota.”
“I like my job in the Senate,” she added. “But I love our state more than any job.”
The announcement arrived at a turbulent time in Minnesota, where thousands of federal agents have been carrying out Operation Metro Surge, a Trump administration operation with the stated goal of detaining and deporting undocumented immigrants.
Federal agents have been involved this month the fatal shootings of two protesters in Minneapolis, incidents that have spurred further protests in the state and around the country.
That ongoing operation has been decried by local leaders, including Tim Walz, the current governor, who on Jan. 5 ended his bid for reelection.
Walz, who served as Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate in 2024, said as he bowed out that he would not be able to give a campaign all of his attention as he worked to defend Minnesota against allegations of fraud and right-wing attacks — including from President Donald Trump.
Prior to his announcement, Walz came under fire amid allegations of fraud by child-care centers in Minnesota. The governor had said the state was investigating alleged fraud and he slammed rhetoric targeting the state’s Somali community, saying those allegations could put people at risk.
Federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement entered Minnesota to begin their operation in December, prior to Walz’ campaign departure. Hundreds more agents arrived in the first weeks of the year, federal officials said. Minnesota officials filed on Jan. 12 a federal lawsuit calling for an end to the surge.
Klobuchar has been outspoken throughout the past year against what she has framed as the overreach of the Trump administration and throughout turmoil in Minnesota, including amidst the recent shootings of protesters Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minneapolis.
“We cannot sugarcoat how hard this is, but in these moments of enormous difficulty, we find strength in our Minnesota values of hard work, freedom, and simple decency and good will,” Klobuchar said in the video message released on Thursday.
She added, “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, who is also seen as a possible 2028 presidential candidate, was first elected to the Senate in 2006 as the first female U.S. senator elected from Minnesota. She is the ranking member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, and is a key member of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
The senator had filed paperwork to create a campaign committee to run for governor last week. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Klobuchar had previously met with Walz about a possible bid for governor, according to two sources familiar with the meeting.
She told ABC News’ “This Week” on Sunday that ICE, one of the federal agencies operating in Minnesota, is “making us less safe, and they need to get out of our state.”
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