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U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar took an important step toward a campaign for Minnesota governor on Thursday, 

 to build out a campaign that is expected to launch in full in coming days.

A Democratic official close to Klobuchar framed it as a “preliminary step necessary for any candidate considering a run.” The official, who isn’t authorized to speak for attribution, told MPR News that an announcement on next steps would be made before long. Precinct caucuses, the first step in the party endorsement process, are on Feb. 3.

The race was thrown up in the air after the sudden exit of Gov. Tim Walz in early January. Democrats have been working under the assumption that Klobuchar would run for the job, something she has considered in the past.

Klobuchar, who won a fourth Senate term in 2024, is a proven vote getter and fundraising powerhouse. Other Democrats with higher office ambitions have avoided entering the race on the expectation that Klobuchar would make the leap.

Klobuchar, 65, is a high-ranking Democrat in the U.S. Senate, and she has held her seat since 2007, racking up double-digit wins in each of her four races. 

Klobuchar met with Walz ahead of his Jan. 5 departure from the race. He had struggled to shake allegations of rampant social-services fraud on his watch and had become a central target of President Donald Trump’s administration. 

Walz intends to serve out the remainder of his term. 

As sitting governor, Walz wasn’t facing any competition from other Democratic hopefuls. 

More than a dozen Republicans are in the governor’s race, including Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth, businessman Kendall Qualls, state Rep. Kristin Robbins and My Pillow founder and CEO Mike Lindell. 

State GOP Chair Alex Plechash reacted to the Klobuchar filing by saying she represents a third term for Walz and said she shouldn’t hold down one job while running for another.

“Minnesota needs a governor who is all in — not a Washington insider running a gutless political audition,” he said in a written statement. “If Klobuchar can’t even choose which job she wants, Minnesotans can be confident she won’t have the backbone to fix the problems Democrats created.”

But Klobuchar’s entrance could upend that GOP field as well, as some of the candidates reassess their chances of defeating a durable statewide official instead of the politically wounded Walz.

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Brian Bakst

Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar formed a campaign committee to run for governor as all signs point to an imminent entry into race to succeed Democratic Gov. Tim Walz.

Democratic U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar makes move toward Minnesota governor run after Walz exit

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