Tim Walz Drops Out of 2026 Race, Won’t Seek Third Term
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz announced he was dropping out of the 2026 gubernatorial race and not seeking an unprecedented consecutive third term in office.
“I didn’t run for this job so I could have this job,” he said in a statement released early Monday. “I ran for this job so I could do this job. Minnesota faces an enormous challenge this year. And I refuse to spend even one minute of 2026 doing anything other than rising to meet the moment.”
The Democrat’s departure could quickly reshape Minnesota’s 2026 electoral landscape. The governor, once seen as a durable incumbent after serving as former Vice President Kamala Harris’s running mate in 2024, has spent recent months fending off criticism of his administration’s response to fraud in state welfare programs. Pressure has grown from both within and outside his party; President Donald Trump and numerous Republican rivals blamed Walz for persistent oversight failures, while internal Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL) voices questioned whether he could still unify their base.
The Secret Service has detained at least one person after an incident at the Cincinnati home of Vice President JD Vance, local station WCPO reported.
What To Know
- There were several smashed windows at the Vance residence, per WCPO.
- It is not immediately clear if Vance or his family were at home during the incident.
- It comes at a time of heightened concern about political violence in the U.S.
Suspect reportedly broke window with hammer
The Secret Service heard a loud noise at the home around midnight and found a person who had broken a window with a hammer and was trying to get into the house, The Associated Press reported, citing two law enforcement officials who were not publicly authorized to discuss the investigation and spoke on the condition of anonymity.
The man had also vandalized a Secret Service vehicle on his way up the home’s driveway, one of the officials told the AP.
Secret Service issues statement on damage to Vance’s home
The Secret Service has said that a man was physically detained by agents early Monday morning.
In a statement sent to Newsweek, Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi said: “An adult male was taken into custody by the Cincinnati Police Department after being detained by U.S. Secret Service personnel for causing property damage, including breaking windows on the exterior of a personal residence associated with the Vice President.
“Shortly after midnight on Monday, January 5, the man was physically detained by Secret Service agents assigned to the Vice President’s home. The residence was unoccupied at the time of the incident, and the Vice President and his family were not in Ohio.
“The U.S. Secret Service is coordinating with the Cincinnati Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office as charging decisions are reviewed.”
Maduro Pleads Not Guilty, Tells Court ‘I Am a Decent Man’
| Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has pleaded not guilty in a federal court Monday, according to multiple media outlets. |
| The appearance began shortly after noon in front of Judge Alvin Hellerstein, who has handled the Maduro case for years. Maduro’s wife Cilia Flores has also pleaded not guilty during the appearance, the BBC reported. |
| Maduro has been charged with Narco-Terrorism Conspiracy, Cocaine Importation Conspiracy, Possession of Machineguns and Destructive Devices, and Conspiracy to Possess Machineguns and Destructive Devices against the United States. |
