Walz’s withdrawal closes the immediate chapter of a political career that reached its peak when Kamala Harris chose him as her 2024 running mate. Political scientists are divided on whether any path remains for him in elected office.
MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said Tuesday he does not know what his future holds after dropping his bid for a third term the day before, musing about a return to geography teaching while pledging to spend his remaining year in office resisting the Trump administration’s moves against the state.
“What I’m really good at is, I’m a really good geography teacher,” Walz said at a press conference. “I think that’s something where I would find the joy in, in getting back in there, trying to teach.”
Walz’s withdrawal, announced Monday, closes the immediate chapter of a political career that reached its peak when Kamala Harris chose him as her running mate in 2024. Their ticket lost, and Walz had also faced criticism over widespread fraud in state programs on his watch before deciding not to seek reelection. Political scientists differed Tuesday on whether any path remained for him in elected office.
A year of work ahead
Walz said he expects the coming year to be the most demanding of his tenure — more taxing, he said, than leading Minnesota’s coronavirus response in 2020.
“Look, I got a year of work to do here. I think it will be the most challenging year, and that includes probably COVID,” Walz said. “I caution Minnesotans, this is going to get worse before it gets better. … For me, I’m going to do this work.”
Beyond that, he told reporters he plans to run marathons and defend the age-division title he won at a Thanksgiving “Turkey Trot” race.
Walz cited the Jan. 1 launch of a paid family and medical leave program — passed by the Legislature in 2023 — as among his proudest accomplishments in office. During a period of unified Democratic control of the state government that year, he and lawmakers also eliminated nearly all abortion restrictions enacted by Republicans, protected gender-affirming care for transgender youth, legalized recreational marijuana, established free school meals for all students, and enacted gun safety measures.
Before entering politics, Walz was a teacher and football coach at Mankato West High School in southern Minnesota.
Political future uncertain
Political scientists offered divergent assessments of what comes next.
Dan Hofrenning, a political scientist at St. Olaf College, said Walz’s withdrawal likely ends his career in elected office.
“One never says never on political futures, but two-term governor, vice presidential candidate, that’s a pretty good run,” Hofrenning said. “And at the end of that run, pulling out of the race is a recognition that he had some strong political vulnerabilities.”
Hofrenning said Walz could move into an elder-statesman role and might be considered for a cabinet post or ambassadorship if a Democrat wins the 2028 presidential race.
Larry Jacobs, a political scientist at the University of Minnesota, was less definitive. He described Walz as a “very talented politician who brings some unique skill sets” to the Democratic Party and did not rule out a Senate bid down the road.
“After you pull out like this, it’s easy to say ‘no future’ because he’s going out on a downer, and it looks like he has his tail between his legs, but I think that might be shortsighted,” Jacobs said. “There could be a spot in a year or two when this has blown over a bit and he’s got an opportunity, perhaps, to run for U.S. Senate.”
Jacobs was skeptical of a cabinet path, however.
“I think his stay in the national scene as a VP candidate didn’t leave him in high standing,” Jacobs said. “There’s a real perception of him as kind of out of his league.”
Walz earns approximately $127,000 a year as governor. A 2024 Wall Street Journal analysis put his and his wife’s net worth at approximately $800,000. Jacobs said financial considerations would shape what comes next.
“He’s going to need employment. Maybe he finds himself a new niche, maybe in the foundation world,” Jacobs said. “But I don’t think this is a guy who’s going to retire in the near future.”