AG Keith Ellison rules out governor bid, will seek third term
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced he will seek a third term and explicitly ruled out entering the 2026 governor’s race now that Gov. Tim Walz has dropped his re‑election bid. He cited the federal ICE surge and what he called a “war on Minnesota” as reasons he’s best suited to remain in the AG’s office, closing DFL speculation about him as a potential top‑of‑ticket replacement even as the GOP gubernatorial field grows crowded.
📌 Key Facts
- Gov. Tim Walz dropped his re-election bid, prompting discussion about potential replacements atop the DFL ticket.
- Attorney General Keith Ellison explicitly ruled out entering the 2026 governor’s race and confirmed he will seek a third term as Minnesota Attorney General.
- Ellison cited a federal ICE surge and what he called a “war on Minnesota” as key reasons he believes he’s best equipped to remain in the AG’s office and defend Minnesotans.
- DFL chatter had included Ellison alongside Amy Klobuchar and Secretary of State Steve Simon as possible replacements atop the ticket; Ellison’s decision closes that door.
- The report contrasted a crowded GOP governor field (including Scott Jensen, Kurt Daudt/Demuth, Mike Lindell, Erich Pratt/Madel, and others such as Robbins) with the DFL’s still‑unsettled lineup now without Ellison.
📊 Relevant Data
Operation Metro Surge, the federal ICE operation in Minnesota starting in December 2025, has resulted in over 3,000 arrests of individuals, primarily targeting criminal noncitizens with convictions for serious offenses such as murder, drug trafficking, and child-related crimes.
Immigration officials have arrested more than 3,000 people in ... — YouTube (NBC News reference)
Somali-born young men in Minnesota (ages 18-29, arrived in U.S. by age 15) have roughly twice the incarceration rate of U.S.-born males (5,030 vs. 2,450 per 100,000) and nearly four times higher than non-Hispanic White natives (1,280 per 100,000), based on 2006-2024 data.
Yes, Somali Immigrants Commit More Crime Than Natives — City Journal
Somali Minnesotans have a high entrepreneurship rate with 22% self-employment, contributing significantly to local commerce.
Minnesota's Somali residents largely work in a few key industries ... — BizJournals
Somali Minnesotans generate at least $500 million in income annually and pay about $67 million in state and local taxes.
Somali Minnesotans drive economic growth, pay $67M taxes annually — KSTP
Approximately 107,000 people of Somali descent live in Minnesota, representing about 2% of the state's population as of 2024.
By the numbers: Minnesota's Somali population, according to ... — KTTC
Somali immigration to Minnesota began in the 1990s as refugees fleeing civil war, facilitated by the U.S. Refugee Act of 1980 and resettlement by voluntary agencies like Lutheran and Catholic charities, attracted by welfare programs and job opportunities.
History of Somalis in Minneapolis–Saint Paul — Wikipedia
Minnesota has experienced massive fraud scandals involving federal funds for programs like child nutrition, with over $250 million defrauded in one case (Feeding Our Future), disproportionately involving members of the Somali community.
How Fraud Swamped Minnesota's Social Services System on Tim ... — The New York Times
📰 Source Timeline (2)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Ellison explicitly states he will not enter the 2026 governor’s race now that Gov. Tim Walz has dropped his re‑election bid.
- He confirms he will continue his campaign for a third term as Minnesota Attorney General.
- Ellison says the federal ICE surge and what he calls a 'war on Minnesota' are key reasons he believes he’s 'best equipped' to stay in the AG’s office and defend Minnesotans.
- FOX 9 notes that DFL chatter had included Ellison alongside Amy Klobuchar and Steve Simon as potential replacements atop the ticket; this closes that door.
- The piece contrasts a crowded GOP governor field (Demuth, Lindell, Madel, Robbins, Jensen and others) with the DFL’s still‑unsettled lineup minus Ellison.