Minnesota Rep. Kristin Robbins announces run for governor
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Photo: Minnesota House
Minnesota state Rep. Kristin Robbins (R-Maple Grove) is running for governor.
The big picture: Robbins, who announced her bid Wednesday morning, joins a GOP primary field that already includes 2022 gubernatorial candidates Scott Jensen and Kendall Qualls.
- DFL Gov. Tim Walz is expected to announce whether he'll seek an unprecedented third consecutive term after Labor Day.
State of play: Republicans haven't won a statewide office in Minnesota since 2006, and top election forecasters rate the 2026 race as "likely Democratic."
- But recent polls have found voters split on whether Walz should run again, raising the prospect that the state's highest elected office could be in play.
Bio in brief: Robbins, a four-term legislator from the north metro, has made headlines this year as chair of the House's new Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Committee.
- She won a district that was essentially evenly split between President Trump and Kamala Harris by 14 points in 2024.
Zoom in: Robbins' role as the new fraud committee chair has given her a platform to interrogate and criticize the Walz administration on one of his most vulnerable issues.
- The issue featured prominently in her campaign launch video, with Robbins saying, "mismanagement of our state has created an epidemic of fraud" in government-run programs.
The other side: The DFL Party said in a statement that Robbins' "governorship would be disastrous for working-class Minnesotans," citing her positions on universal meals at schools and paid family leave among other issues.
The intrigue: Robbins' support for Nikki Haley over President Trump in the 2024 GOP primary could complicate any effort to win the Minnesota Republican Party endorsement — and subsequent GOP primary.
- Her announcement release didn't say whether she'll agree to abide by the endorsement and end her campaign if GOP delegates pick someone else next spring.
What we're watching: Whether Walz runs again— and how that influences who else jumps in the race.
- Walz, who won by over 7 percentage points in 2022, told reporters Tuesday that he is "still assessing" his decision.
Other Democrats seen as likely to run if he doesn't seek another term include Attorney General Keith Ellison and Secretary of State Steve Simon.