Minnesota Governor Tim Walz made it crystal clear this week that he is not going quietly into anything. While kicking off the state’s new paid family and medical leave program on Tuesday, Walz also addressed the political elephant in the room. His decision to bow out of the 2026 governor’s race.
Just one day after releasing a seven-minute statement announcing he would not seek reelection without taking questions, Walz stepped in front of reporters and answered everything. With heat. With conviction. And with zero patience for what he sees as reckless behavior from the Trump administration and Republicans who refuse to check it.
What really set Walz off was recent commentary from Donald Trump, who floated conspiracy theories surrounding the shooting death of former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband last summer. For Walz, this wasn’t political banter. It was personal. And it was dangerous.
“We just attended a wedding which was a joyous day with two empty seats from someone who’s murdered,” Walz said Tuesday. “But ‘there’s rumors out there.’ That’s frickin’ evil. And every one of you in this room knows it’s evil.”
That moment set the tone. And from there, Walz never took his foot off the gas.
Tim Walz Goes Off on Trump Administration During Paid Leave Program Launch
The timing couldn’t have been more layered.
On paper, Tuesday was about progress. Minnesota officially launched its paid family and medical leave program, a policy win years in the making. It’s the kind of initiative that directly impacts working families. Parents. Caregivers. People who don’t have the luxury of choosing between a paycheck and their health.
But politics doesn’t pause for celebrations.
As reporters pressed Walz on his future, his absence from the 2026 race, and growing Republican calls for his resignation, the governor responded with clarity and force. He made it clear that stepping away from reelection does not equal stepping away from leadership.
When asked point blank if he would resign, Walz didn’t hedge.
“Over my dead body.” Then he doubled down.
“I’m not going anywhere, and you can make all your requests for me to resign over my dead body,” he added. “Will that happen?”
This wasn’t bluster. It was resolve.
Walz framed his current position as one of renewed energy. Without a campaign looming over his head, he says he is fully locked in on governing. That includes navigating a narrowly divided legislature and heading into a high-stakes budget year. In his view, the real work is just beginning.
And importantly, he made it clear that Republican discomfort is not his problem.