Embattled Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is expected to bow out of the 2026 re-election race as he faces mounting national criticism over a massive Somali fraud scandal engulfing his state.
According to New York Post, Minnesota political analyst Blois Olson posted on X Sunday night claimed, “He’s likely to drop out of the 2026 #mngov race.”
The news comes as Walz’s office has scheduled a press conference for 11 am Monday, January 5.
Walz has come under national scrutiny, including from President Trump, over his handling of alleged Medicaid and day care fraud in Minnesota, with losses that could reach into the multi-billions.
The scrutiny intensified after independent journalist Nick Shirley released viral footage last month showing taxpayer-funded day care centers in Minnesota that appeared largely empty.
Federal authorities have since launched an operation in the Land of 10,000 Lakes aimed at “identifying, arresting, and removing criminals who are defrauding the American people,” according to the Department of Homeland Security.
Republicans are blasting Minnesota Democrats over the fraud scandal, accusing them of failing to prevent billions in taxpayer losses, as a Florida lawmaker compared the alleged scheme to “organized crime.”
The Trump administration has said it plans to freeze certain federal child care funds until states provide additional verification for the programs.
President Donald Trump himself suggested the alleged fraud in Minnesota could be even larger than investigators believe while speaking to a crowd at a New Year’s Eve celebration at Mar-a-Lago.
