Education Minnesota statement on Walz’s decision to not seek reelection
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CHRIS WILLIAMS
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ST. PAUL, Minnesota. Jan. 5, 2026 – The union of Minnesota educators thanked Gov. Tim Walz on Monday for his commitment to students and schools after the governor announced that he would not seek reelection to a third term in November.
“Gov. Walz has always been a teacher at heart. He cares for students and their futures and about educators and our profession,” said Monica Byron, the president of Education Minnesota. “He has supported our schools through increased funding for the past seven years and helped pass a historic improvement to teacher pensions last year. Year after year, he earned his title of the ‘Educator Governor.’ We thank him for his support of our students and educators.”
“Education Minnesota has just begun its process for screening and endorsing 2026 candidates. Our member-leaders are looking forward to meeting with more candidates for governor and making an endorsement in the coming months,” Byron said. “We’re looking for champions who can help us fix the educator shortage – including by working with educators to control spiraling health insurance costs. Educators and elected officials need to work together to recruit and retain the professionals necessary to provide a world-class public education to every Minnesota student, with no exceptions.”
About Education Minnesota
Education Minnesota is the voice for professional educators and students. Education Minnesota’s members include teachers and education support professionals in Minnesota’s public school districts, faculty members at Minnesota’s community and technical colleges and University of Minnesota campuses in Duluth and Crookston, retired educators and student teachers. Education Minnesota is affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers, National Education Association and AFL-CIO.
