The inept Democratic governor of Minnesota, Tim Walz, announced that he would not seek a third term

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz announced on Monday that he will abandon his attempt to seek a historic term, a decision that comes at the worst political moment of his administration, marked by a multibillion-dollar fraud scandal in the state's welfare system and growing questions about his administrative capacity.

Walz, a Democrat and former running mate of Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election, had launched his campaign in September with the expectation of becoming the first governor of Minnesota to be elected three times since the office shifted to four-year terms in the 1960s.

Until a few weeks ago, he was considered the clear favorite. His sudden exit completely changes the state political landscape.

In a statement, Walz maintained that, after "reflecting with his family and his team", he concluded that he could not devote "all his energy" to a political campaign. "Every minute I spend defending my own political interests is a minute I can't devote to defending the people of Minnesota", he stated.

However, critics and opponents believe that the announcement seeks to cover up the political impact of a scandal that took shape under his administration.

The background to the decision is a federal investigation into a massive fraud in state-funded programs, intended to combat hunger and homelessness, and subsidize child care.

Although Walz has not been accused of wrongdoing, the fraud unfolded for years without the state government detecting or stopping it, which has fueled accusations of inefficiency, lack of controls, and poor oversight of social programs.

The political reaction was immediate. Republican congressman and majority leader in the state House, Tom Emmer, replied with a blunt "good riddance", reflecting the harshness of the criticism from the opposition.

At the national level, President Donald Trump celebrated the governor's departure and linked him to the scandal, describing those responsible as "corrupt" and promising that "no one is above the law".

Walz's departure opens an internal race in the Democratic Party. Senator Amy Klobuchar is seen as a possible candidate, as are Attorney General Keith Ellison and Secretary of State Steve Simon. On the Republican side, names such as state House Speaker Lisa Demuth and businessman Mike Lindell are being mentioned.

Estimates put the embezzlement at at least 1 billion dollars, while Deputy U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson has suggested that the figure could rise to 9 billion. So far, more than 90 people have been charged with creating fake nonprofit organizations to divert public funds.