Minnesota Rep. Kristin Robbins, a Republican from Maple Grove, announced Wednesday that she will be running for governor in 2026.
Robbins, 57, is a fourth-term representative and was first elected to the House in 2018. She chairs the newly created Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Committee and is vice chair of the Ways and Means Committee. She joins two former Republican gubernatorial candidates — Scott Jensen and Kendall Qualls — in the race for the Republican nomination.
Minnesota State Rep. Kristin Robbins (Courtesy of Minnesota Legislature)
In a press release early Wednesday morning, Robbins said that if elected, she would commit to fiscal responsibility, stopping fraud, and bringing back “common-sense leadership.”
“I love Minnesota, and I’ve been blessed to raise my family here,” she said. “But over the last 8 years, Tim Walz has hurt families, businesses, and Minnesotans’ most vulnerable citizens. Under his mismanagement and leadership failures, our state has been heading in the wrong direction. Tim Walz burned through an $18 billion budget surplus, raised taxes by $10 billion, and allowed massive fraud to run rampant in his own agencies. Minnesotans deserve a leader who puts them first.”
No Democrats have announced a bid for governor; Gov. Tim Walz has yet to decide whether he will seek a third term. His staff said he will likely not announce his intentions until after the State Fair. Walz has ruled out other offices in 2026 , such as Sen. Tina Smith’s open U.S. Senate seat.
Other Republican candidates in the race include Jeff Johnson, a St. Cloud city councilor; Brad Kohler, a retired mixed martial arts fighter; and Phillip Parrish, a retired U.S. Navy lieutenant commander. If her bid is successful, Robbins would be the first female governor of Minnesota.
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