Latest news with #FraudPreventionandStateAgencyOversightCommittee
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Republican Rep. Kristin Robbins launches bid for Minnesota governor
The Brief Minnesota state Rep. Kristin Robbins announced she is running for governor in the upcoming election. Robbins is joining a growing field of republican candidates in the bid for governor. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz has not yet announced if he is seeking reelection. MAPLE GROVE, Minn. (FOX 9) - Minnesota state Rep. Kristin Robbins announced Wednesday she is running for Minnesota governor in 2026. Running for Minnesota governor What they're saying Robbins (R-Maple Grove) has represented District 37A in the Minnesota House of Representatives since winning the seat in 2018. She chairs the Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Committee, is vice chair of the Ways and Means Committee, and is a member of the Taxes and Higher Education Committees. In her campaign announcement, Robbins said she would focus on "stopping fraud and restoring fiscal responsibility" and criticized Gov. Tim Walz for what she calls his "complete mismanagement" of the state. "Families are working harder than ever while Tim Walz makes life more difficult," a statement on social media reads. "I'm running to fight fraud, cut taxes, support our police, strengthen schools, and bring back common-sense leadership." Dig deeper Robbins is joining a growing field of GOP candidates in the race for governor. Other candidates include former state Senator Scott Jensen, former MMA fighter Brad Kohler, retired U.S. Army veteran Kendall Qualls, and Phillip Parrish. Gov. Walz has not yet said whether he plans to run for reelection. The Source This story uses information from a campaign announcement, social media and previous FOX 9 reporting.
Axios
15 hours ago
- Politics
- Axios
Minnesota Rep. Kristin Robbins announces run for governor
Minnesota state Rep. Kristin Robbins (R-Maple Grove) is running for governor. The big picture: Robbins, who announced her bid Wednesday morning, joins a GOP primary field that already includes 2022 gubernatorial candidates Scott Jensen and Kendall Qualls. DFL Gov. Tim Walz is expected to announce whether he'll seek an unprecedented third consecutive term after Labor Day. State of play: Republicans haven't won a statewide office in Minnesota since 2006, and top election forecasters rate the 2026 race as "likely Democratic." But recent polls have found voters split on whether Walz should run again, raising the prospect that the state's highest elected office could be in play. Bio in brief: Robbins, a four-term legislator from the north metro, has made headlines this year as chair of the House's new Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Committee. She won a district that was essentially evenly split between President Trump and Kamala Harris by 14 points in 2024. Zoom in: Robbins' role as the new fraud committee chair has given her a platform to interrogate and criticize the Walz administration on one of his most vulnerable issues. The issue featured prominently in her campaign launch video, with Robbins saying, "mismanagement of our state has created an epidemic of fraud" in government-run programs. The intrigue: Robbins' support for Nikki Haley over President Trump in the 2024 GOP primary could complicate any effort to win the Minnesota Republican Party endorsement — and subsequent GOP primary. Her announcement release didn't say whether she'll agree to abide by the endorsement and end her campaign if GOP delegates pick someone else next spring. What we're watching: Whether Walz runs again— and how that influences who else jumps in the race. Walz, who won by over 7 percentage points in 2022, told reporters Tuesday that he is "still assessing" his decision. Other Democrats seen as likely to run if he doesn't seek another term include Attorney General Keith Ellison and Secretary of State Steve Simon.
