2026 Minnesota gubernatorial election

The **2026 Minnesota gubernatorial election** is scheduled to take place on November 3, 2026, to elect the governor of Minnesota. Primary elections are scheduled for August 11, 2026. Incumbent two-term Democratic Governor Tim Walz ran for reelection to a third term at first but announced in January 2026 that he would not run because of the media coverage about the 2020s Minnesota fraud scandals.

#### Declared

- Bill Gates Jr., former pastor and independent candidate for Governor of Arkansas in 2022
- Amy Klobuchar, U.S. senator (2007–present)

#### Potential

- Nick Frentz, state senator (2017–present)
- Kelly Morrison, U.S. representative from Minnesota's 3rd congressional district (2025–present)
- Erin Murphy, majority leader of the Minnesota Senate (2024–present) from the 64th district (2021–present) and candidate for governor in 2018

#### Withdrawn

- Tim Walz, incumbent governor (2019–present), Democratic nominee for U.S. vice president in 2024, and former U.S. representative from Minnesota's 1st congressional district (2007–2019)

#### Declined

- Angie Craig, U.S. representative from  (2019–present) _(running for U.S. Senate)_
- Keith Ellison, attorney general of Minnesota (2019–present) _(running for re-election)_
- Peggy Flanagan, lieutenant governor of Minnesota (2019–present) _(running for U.S. Senate)_
- Dean Phillips, former U.S. representative from  (2019–2025) and candidate for president in 2024
- Steve Simon, secretary of state of Minnesota (2015–present) _(running for re-election)_
- Tina Smith, U.S. senator (2018–present)

#### Declared

- Peggy Bennett, state representative from district 23A (2015–present)
- Lisa Demuth, speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives (2025–present) from district 13A (2019–present)
- Scott Jensen, former state senator from the 47th district (2017–2021) and nominee for governor in 2022
- Jeff Johnson, former St. Cloud city councilor (2010–2018)
- Patrick Knight, food company CEO
- Brad Kohler, retired mixed martial arts fighter
- John Krhin, pastor
- Mike Lindell, CEO of My Pillow and candidate for RNC chair in 2023
- Chris Madel, attorney
- Phil Parrish, teacher and perennial candidate
- Kendall Qualls, healthcare technology executive, nominee for  in 2020, and candidate for governor in 2022
- Kristin Robbins, state representative from district 37A (2019–present)

#### Publicly expressed interest

- Julia Coleman, state senator from the 48th district (2021–present) and daughter-in-law of former U.S. Senator Norm Coleman

#### Potential

- Jim Nash, state representative from district 48A (2015–present)

#### Declined

- Zach Duckworth, state senator from the 57th district (2021–present) _(running for re-election)_
- Tom Emmer, U.S. representative from  (2015–present) and nominee for governor in 2010
- Pete Stauber, U.S. representative from  (2019–present)

## Infobox (election)

- **election name**: 2026 Minnesota gubernatorial election
- **country**: Minnesota
- **type**: presidential
- **ongoing**: yes
- **previous election**: 2022 Minnesota gubernatorial election
- **previous year**: 2022
- **next election**: 2030 Minnesota gubernatorial election
- **next year**: 2030
- **election date**: November 3, 2026
- **party1**: Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party
- **party2**: Republican Party (United States)
- **title**: Governor of Minnesota, Governor
- **before election**: Tim Walz
- **before party**: Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party