Ellison to stay in AG race, not run for Minnesota governor

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison says he’s focused on another term in his current role amid speculation that he could jump into the race for governor.

Ellison’s campaign released a statement on Tuesday saying, “Walter Mondale once told me that out of all the jobs he had in his career, serving as the Attorney General of Minnesota was the best he ever had. I feel the same way. This office has given me the legal authority to take on powerful interests on behalf of Minnesotans, all in the name of the mission that I have built my career on – Afford Your Life.”

RELATED: Governor Walz announces he will not seek reelection

However, he acknowledged that in the wake of Gov. Tim Walz’s decision to not run for another term, “many have asked if I would consider running for that office.”

“I have. But as the federal government declares war on Minnesota, it is clear to me that I am best equipped to defend Minnesotans from the Office of the Attorney General,” Ellison said. “In October, I announced my campaign for a third term as Attorney General, and I intend to stay in this race.”

With Walz dropping out, the DFL race is now wide open. While many have speculated that Sen. Amy Klobuchar could announce a bid, no announcements have been made at this time.

On the other side, Republicans have a large pool of candidates seeking to earn the nomination and end the party’s gubernatorial drought. It’s shaping up to be a very busy year ahead in Minnesota politics.

RELATED: Among GOP candidates for governor, most will run in primary with or without endorsement

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