United States Sen. Amy Klobuchar has made the first steps in a Minnesota gubernatorial campaign, a source close to the senator tells WCCO.

Klobuchar on Thursday filed preliminary paperwork with the Minnesota Campaign Finance Board. She’s expected to announce her plans in the coming days.  

The move comes weeks after fellow Democrat Tim Walz’s decision to end his bid for an unprecedented third term in office.

Klobuchar, 65, is now in her fourth Senate term. She is one of Minnesota’s most dependable Democratic candidates, with a track record of handily defeating her Republican rivals.

A native of Plymouth, Minnesota, Klobuchar is the daughter of legendary Minnesota journalist Jim Klobuchar, who died in 2021 at age 93.

Klobuchar studied law at Yale University and the University of Chicago, and practiced law before being elected Hennepin County attorney in 1999. 

She first ran for Senate in 2006, defeating Republican Mark Kennedy by 20 percentage points and becoming the first woman in Minnesota to hold the office.

Klobuchar continued that double-digit victory trend in her next three Senate races, respectively beating Republicans Kurt Bills, James Newberger and Royce White.

In 2020, Klobuchar launched a brief bid to be her party’s presidential nominee, eventually ceding to President Biden.

She is currently chair of the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee and previously chaired the Committee on Rules and Administration.

If Klobuchar wins the 2026 gubernatorial election, she will have to resign her Senate seat. Walz, in his final weeks as governor, must then appoint a temporary replacement — though it’s possible that decision would be made by Klobuchar after becoming governor.

Several Republican candidates are vying for endorsement at the state GOP convention this spring, including:

Some GOP candidates have pledged to take their fight to the primary on Aug. 11, 2026, whether or not they get the coveted endorsement.

Minnesota hasn’t elected a Republican governor since 2002, when Tim Pawlenty beat Democrat Roger Moe and Independence Party candidate Tim Penny.