Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) announced her run for governor on Thursday, citing frustrations with the federal operation and recent killings in Minneapolis.
She announced her bid in a video posted on X, focusing on the federal immigration enforcement operation in the city and the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.
“Minnesotans, we’ve been through a lot. And I believe this moment calls for grit, resilience, and faith in each other. I believe we must stand up for what’s right. And fix what’s wrong. Today, I’m announcing my candidacy for Governor,” she captioned her video.
In the opening of the video, Klobuchar referenced last year’s assassinations of state legislators, the Annunciation Catholic Church shooting, and the recent shootings of anti-ICE protesters.
Klobuchar sought to simultaneously portray herself as a resistance leader against the Trump administration and as a bipartisan deal-maker.
“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,” she said.
The Minnesota Democrat touted that she was the third-most effective senator in getting bills passed, and first for bipartisan bills.
Klobuchar had actually planned to launch her gubernatorial bid days earlier, two people familiar with her plans told Politico, but the shooting of Pretti caused her to delay the move.
“I’m running for every Minnesotan who wants ICE and its abusive tactics out of the state we love,” she said in the video.
Klobuchar is widely expected to run away with the Democratic nomination and easily take the governor’s mansion in the deep blue state. There is a Republican primary, but President Donald Trump has already endorsed MyPillow founder Mike Lindell.
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Her path was cleared after incumbent Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) announced he wouldn’t be seeking reelection earlier this month amid wider scandals.
“I’m running for every Minnesotan who wants ICE and its abusive tactics out of the state we love,” she said in the video.
