Gov. Tim Walz has kept a relatively low profile since returning to Minnesota following his failed bid for vice president. He comforted deflated supporters with a speech at a high school, posed for a photo with a turkey at the Minnesota State Capitol in honor of Thanksgiving, and flew to the Bahamas for a brief respite from the cold.
Walz, a Democrat, took a hard look this week at his party's sinking political fortunes in his home state as lawmakers begin meeting in St. Paul for what is expected to be an unusually testy state Legislature. I have to start.
Minnesota Democrats have controlled the governor's mansion and the state Legislature for the past two years, allowing them to pass a number of liberal bills on abortion rights, marijuana and medical leave. But they have narrowly lost their majority in the House of Commons and are bracing for a new era of gridlock. Their control over the Senate is tenuous.
State budget officials issued a scathing assessment of Minnesota's fiscal health last month, warning that spending is expected to outpace revenue for years to come. Officials said there could be a $5.1 billion deficit by 2028. Under Democratic leadership, the state at one point ran a $17.5 billion surplus, and critics have questioned how tax dollars were spent.
“It's going to be a tough, tough, really tough session,” said Blois Olson, a political analyst and communications strategist in St. Paul. The pressing issue in St. Paul is whether Walz will seek re-election for a third term in 2026, although many predict he could make a hard-fought return to state service during the legislative session. is. “If he feels defeated after that, I think it's unlikely he'll run again,” Olson said.
Shortly after Walz returned from a national campaign tour in November, new signs of tension emerged in the country. Walz did not appear at any public events with his lieutenant governor, Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan. Reports have become public that there has been a disagreement over preparing a succession plan for the governor if a Democrat wins the White House.
Walz and Flanagan, who have been outspoken supporters of the governor since they were first elected together in 2018, declined interview requests for this article.
Shortly after the election, Walz told supporters in Minnesota that he struggled to understand why voters gave President-elect Donald J. Trump a second term. Still, he promised to find common ground with conservatives.
“We, and I'm speaking for myself, need to swallow a little bit of pride and try harder to find common ground with our neighbors who didn't vote like we did. I think so,” Walz told campaign volunteers in the crowd. Government officials gather at Eagan High School in Eagan, Minnesota, in November.
But Walz also said he would “stand up and defend the steps Minnesota Democrats have taken in recent years to expand abortion rights, tighten gun control, fight climate change and remain a welcoming state to immigrants.” I'm ready to fight,” he said.
The new Congress begins Tuesday, but Democrats are on the defensive as the fight for control of the state Capitol continues. After a 50-50 vote in the November election, the justices ruled that the newly elected Democrats did not meet the residency requirements for the seat. That means Republicans will begin the session with a one-seat majority, at least until a special election is held.
Rep. Lisa Demuth, the top Republican in the Minnesota House of Representatives, said her party's victory in the election was a rebuke to the way Walz and fellow Democrats have taken the state sharply to the left since they took full control of the nation's capital. He said that it should be interpreted as When Democrats held a three-way vote in 2023, they passed policies that included legalizing recreational marijuana and funding free meals for virtually all students in the state. and requires companies to pay for family and medical leave.
“We've been trying to sound the alarm for the past two years, saying, 'Let's have some restraint,'” Demuth said. “It was completely ignored.”
Rep. Melissa Hortman, the top Democrat in the Minnesota House of Representatives, defended her party's record.
“We're not going to change our behavior just because we've invested in Minnesotans,” she said. “We've made child care cheaper. We've made housing construction a top priority. We've made significant investments in infrastructure projects in our state.”
He said divided government has been more common in Minnesota than full partisan control in recent decades, and is confident that lawmakers will find common ground in the coming months to pass a budget for the next two years. He added that there is.
For now, lawmakers are bracing for an unusually chaotic legislative session. House Democrats have vowed to boycott the first few weeks of the session until special elections for the contested seats are held in late January.
The Democratic Party was poised to secure a one-seat majority in the Senate. However, due to the death of a Democratic senator last month, the two parties will begin the session with a tie. Complicating matters is that another Democratic seat is at issue. Sen. Nicole Mitchell is scheduled to go on trial later this month on a felony theft charge. She pleaded not guilty.
Larry Jacobs, director of the Center for Politics and Governance Research at the University of Minnesota, said he expects Republicans to use their growing influence to undermine Walz at every opportunity.
“This is a complete political war,” he said.
As a running mate, Walz presented himself as a moderate politician with working-class roots and an excellent governing record. But amid the national attention, Walz faced questions about whether he had moved Minnesota too far to the left.
In the end, Mr. Walz's ticket, led by Vice President Kamala Harris, lost key swing states in the Midwest where Mr. Walz was expected to draw votes, winning Minnesota by just four points.
Walz has announced only one major legislative initiative for the new session. State agencies have long been criticized for lacking safeguards to identify and prevent brazen theft schemes, but Walz recently announced a series of initiatives to thwart fraud. government. Mr. Walz's critics portrayed the move as part of damage control.
Walz also faces growing questions, including from liberals, over the slow and difficult rollout of recreational marijuana legalization in Minnesota, one of the signature laws approved by Democrats in 2023. Walz's administration has not yet hired a permanent director for the agency. Of cannabis management. It's unclear when the first urban dispensaries will open, as the licensing process is beset by legal issues.
In recent months, Walz has said in interviews with local news outlets that he has not yet decided whether to seek a third term in 2026. If that happens, there are indications it could be teamed up with someone other than Mr. Flanagan. He was once a political leader, but political analysts said he was more left-leaning.
A recent invitation to a fundraising lunch from Mr. Walz's campaign listed his name and his wife, Gwen's, but not Ms. Flanagan's.
Minnesota Republican leaders say they are optimistic about the outlook for 2026, although they intend to blame Democrats for spending the state's huge surplus.
“Not only did they spend all their money on these pet programs, which is ridiculous in our opinion, but they put us back in the red and raised taxes,” said Alex Prechash, the new head of the Minnesota Republican Party. “That is just unacceptable.”
State Democratic Party Chairman Ken Martin, who is seeking leadership of the Democratic National Committee, declined a request for an interview.
Olson, the political consultant, warned that Walz could still gain a political foothold. He said a lot could change in the early days of the new Trump administration.
“Eighteen months is a lifetime in this business,” he said.
