Klobuchar and Craig top favorability ratings of Minnesota elected officials (fall 2025)
Where did Minnesota's top politicians stand before Walz dropped his third-term bid? A statewide probability survey of 1,100+ adults shows Klobuchar slipping.
By Craig Helmstetter
Gov. Tim Walz’s announcement that he is withdrawing from a bid for what would be a historic third term amounts to an earthquake for Minnesota’s political landscape.
Among Minnesota’s elected officials, four-term U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar is considering a run for governor. Meanwhile, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan and U.S. Rep. Angie Craig so far appear committed to their respective bids to fill a seat opened by Sen. Tina Smith’s upcoming retirement.
A fall 2025 Minnesota Community Survey, with a representative sample of more than 1,100 adult Minnesotans, found that 58% viewed Klobuchar favorably. Nearly 1 in 4 viewed her very favorably.
Slightly fewer Minnesotans rated Craig as very favorable, but a large proportion – 44% – rated her as mostly favorable.
At 47%, Trump had far and away the highest very unfavorable rating in the poll, which was conducted Sept. 25 to Nov. 6, 2025. A budget impasse led to a 43-day federal government shutdown, starting on Oct. 1.
The poll took place before accusations of fraud and lax oversight of government programs intensified in the weeks leading up to Walz's decision.
