5 days ago
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty will not seek re-election
The Brief
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said she will not seek a second term.
She was elected to the role in 2022, taking over from Mike Freeman, who worked as Hennepin County Attorney for a total of 24 years.
In a written statement, Hennepin Co. Attorney Moriarty said, "I want to focus on running the office, rather than running for office."
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said she will not seek a second term and will not run for re-election in 2026.
The announcement came on Wednesday evening in an email sent to news outlets.
There are still 17 months left in her administration.
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty not running for second term
What they're saying
Hennepin Co. Attorney Moriarty shared the following written statement:
"I ran for this office to do the hard work; the work that desperately needed doing and the work the voters chose when I was elected in 2022 by 16 points. We've become accustomed to elected officials who don't deliver results and end up more invested in clinging to power than doing the work of the people. That is not me. As I have weighed whether I wanted to spend the last year and a half of my term focused primarily on campaigning or continuing to transform this office, the choice became clear. I want to focus on running the office, rather than running for office. I trust that the voters who overwhelmingly elected me just two and a half years ago will choose a candidate in 2026 to build on our work, which is proving to make Hennepin County safer and more just."
Dr. Irene Fernando, Hennepin County Commissioner and Board Chair Dr. Irene Fernando shared this statement on the announcement:
"County Attorney Mary Moriarty has been a tireless fighter for justice in an increasingly unjust world. I've been grateful for her partnership to date. I'm certain that our partnership will continue as we work in our respective positions to ensure better outcomes for residents through the remainder of her term. I'm grateful for the Attorney's leadership and tenacity. There is still a lot we will accomplish together in the next 18 months."
The backstory
Hennepin Co. Attorney Mary Moriarty was elected in 2022 and took over the role after Mike Freeman served for a total of 24 years, from 1991 to 1999 and again from 2007 to 2023.
She won election in 2022 by 16 points.
This is a developing story and details will be added as more information becomes available.
The Source
This story uses infomartion shared in a statement sent by the Hennepin County Attorney's Office.
Solve the daily Crossword
