Klobuchar filed fundraising paperwork Thursday with the Minnesota Campaign Finance Board to create a committee titled Minnesotans for Klobuchar, a preliminary step required for candidates considering a statewide run. A source close to the senator told Axios that a formal campaign announcement is expected in the coming days.
The filing follows Gov. Tim Walz’s announcement earlier this month that he will not seek a third term, opening the race for Minnesota’s top executive office.
Walz’s decision came amid increased scrutiny of his administration’s handling of fraud in state-run social services programs. Minnesota lawmakers had warned state agencies for months about suspected fraud involving daycare and other taxpayer-funded programs before federal investigations became public, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
Klobuchar has served in the U.S. Senate since 2007 and previously ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020. She has consistently won statewide elections in Minnesota and is widely viewed as a frontrunner for the Democratic–Farmer–Labor (DFL) nomination.
During her 2020 presidential campaign, the New York Times published a report based on interviews with more than two dozen former staff members and internal emails describing complaints about Klobuchar’s management style. Klobuchar acknowledged at the time that she can be a “tough boss” with high expectations, while disputing the overall characterization, according to the Times.
The reporting did not prevent Klobuchar from continuing to win statewide elections in Minnesota following the 2020 campaign.
If elected governor, Klobuchar would be required to resign her U.S. Senate seat, triggering a vacancy that would be filled under Minnesota law until a special election is held.
Klobuchar has not yet publicly announced her candidacy beyond the filing of campaign paperwork.