Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar has won Minnesota’s gubernatorial election, becoming the first woman elected governor in the state’s history.
Klobuchar, 66, defeated Republican Lisa Demuth, the Minnesota House speaker, securing another victory for Democrats in a state that has not elected a Republican governor since 2006.
Despite a favorable national political climate for Democrats, the party entered the race facing challenges at home. Two-term Democratic Gov. Tim Walz, who served as the party’s vice presidential nominee in 2024, faced mounting criticism over Minnesota’s handling of alleged daycare fraud.
Walz withdrew his bid for a third term in early January and subsequently declared that he would “never run for an elected office again.”
Following his withdrawal, Klobuchar entered the Democratic gubernatorial primary and comfortably secured the nomination.
Throughout her campaign, Klobuchar positioned herself as a strong opponent of President Donald Trump’s policies. Her candidacy came amid heightened tensions following the administration’s deployment of federal immigration officers to Minnesota during a sweeping enforcement operation that some residents described as an “invasion.”
“Minnesota, we’ve been through a lot,” Klobuchar said, referencing the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal immigration agents, alongside last year’s assassination of former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband.
“These times call for leaders who can stand up and not be rubber stamps for this administration, but who are also willing to find common ground and fix things in our state,” Klobuchar declared. “These times call for grit and resilience.”
Klobuchar also addressed the fraud controversies surrounding Minnesota’s social services programs, promising tougher oversight and accountability in state government.
“I will make sure the people who steal taxpayer money go to jail and root out the fraud by changing the way state government works,” she said. “I will do my job without fear or favor. I’ve never shied away from taking on the powerful.”
Before entering national politics, Klobuchar served as Hennepin County’s chief prosecutor. In 2006, she became the first woman elected to represent Minnesota in the U.S. Senate, establishing another milestone in the state’s political history.
She subsequently secured decisive Senate re-election victories in 2012, 2018, and 2024, building a reputation as one of Minnesota’s most established Democratic figures.
Klobuchar also competed for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020 but ultimately withdrew from the race.
Her latest victory marks another historic chapter in her political career, placing a woman at the helm of Minnesota’s government for the first time.