Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., is the current frontrunner of the Minnesota governor’s race this fall after Democratic Gov. Tim Walz dropped his re-election bid amid the multi-billion dollar welfare fraud scandal that has swept through the state under his watch.
But that doesn’t mean Walz’ political career is over. In fact, Klobuchar is expected to guarantee Walz a new job in exchange for his help.
Should Klobuchar win the election this fall, she is expected to appoint Walz to fill her vacant Senate seat, a move critics are calling a stunning example of Democratic cronyism.
Klobuchar confirmed Tuesday she is is “seriously considering” a run for governor.
“I love my job, I love my state, and I’m seriously considering it,” Klobuchar told CNN.
In a closed door meeting, Walz met privately with Klobuchar on Sunday before announcing his decision to drop out of the race. Under Minnesota law, the governor appoints someone to fill a vacant Senate seat until a special election can be held.
If Klobuchar runs and wins the governorship, she could potentially appoint her own Senate replacement.
Did Walz ask Klobuchar for a tit-for-tat exchange before he dropped out?
“In the event Klobuchar runs and wins, Walz could decline to name a successor, leaving the appointment to her,” a spokesman for the Minnesota Secretary of State’s office told The Star Tribune. “Klobuchar could also resign from the U.S. Senate just prior to taking the oath as governor, assuming the power to fill the vacancy.”
That appointment would serve as U.S. senator until a special election, likely in November 2027.
Should Klobuchar resign more than 11 weeks ahead of this year’s state primaries in August, Minnesota election law stipulates the special election would be held at the 2026 midterms instead.
The scenario has drawn sharp criticism from Republicans who point to the massive fraud scandal that engulfed Minnesota under Walz’s watch.
“Minnesotans beware: Amy Klobuchar, Keith Ellison, Tim Walz… it’s all the same,” Rep. Pete Stauber, a Minnesota Republican, posted on X. “Radical and extreme socialist policies, reckless spending that turned an $18 Billion surplus into a $6 Billion deficit, $10 billion tax increases, and $9 Billion of YOUR MONEY given to FRAUDSTERS.”
Klobuchar has served in the Senate since 2007 and was just reelected in 2024, defeating Republican Royce White by 16 percentage points. Her current term does not expire until 2030.
If she runs for governor and loses either the primary or general election, she would remain in the Senate. Minnesota is not a resign-to-run state, meaning lawmakers can maintain their current positions while campaigning for different offices.
Klobuchar ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020 but ended her campaign before Super Tuesday. She is one of the most powerful political figures in Minnesota.
The Minnesota governor’s race holds its primary elections in early August 2026.