Republican Chris Madel drops out of Minnesota gubernatorial race, calls ICE operation ‘unmitigated disaster’

On Monday, Chris Madel, a Republican candidate in Minnesota’s gubernatorial race, unexpectedly dropped out of the race after another Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer shot and killed another American citizen in Minneapolis.

Madel explained his decision in a 10-minute video posted to his social media channels. He said that national Republicans have made it nearly impossible to win a statewide race in Minnesota and that he could not support the stated retribution on the citizens of the state. The latter was a reference to President Donald Trump’s Truth Social post made after the killing of Minneapolis resident Renee Good, although Madel stopped short of criticizing Trump by name.

I am ending my campaign for Minnesota Governor. I describe why in the below video. Please watch until the end. (It is 10 minutes, 52 seconds.)

Thank you,
Chris pic.twitter.com/2nfyAyTzNZ

— Chris Madel (@CWMadel) January 26, 2026

Madel also said that he supports the initially stated goal of Operation Metro Surge, which is to deport the “worst of the worst,” like violent criminals. Madel even offered legal assistance to Jonathan Ross, the ICE agent who killed Good on Jan. 7. But after the death of Alex Pretti, Madel said that Operation Metro Surge has “expanded far beyond the stated focus” and that U.S. citizens are living in fear because of it.

Last month, the Minneapolis attorney emerged as one of the top candidates in the GOP primary when he finished fourth in a survey of the state Republican party’s State Central Committee.

Minnesota GOP State Central Committee Conducts Non-Binding Gubernatorial Preference Poll

Medina, MN — December 13, 2025 — The Republican Party of Minnesota conducted a non-binding gubernatorial preference poll of its State Central Committee on December 13 in Medina, Minnesota.… pic.twitter.com/2cloWHy4nM

— Republican Party of Minnesota (@mngop) December 13, 2025

Madel finished behind former health care executive Kendall Qualls, Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth (R-Cold Spring) and MyPillow founder Mike Lindell. Heartland Signal has reached out to these candidates for comment on Madel’s decision, but none have responded as of publication.

On Jan. 5, Gov. Tim Walz (DFL) announced that he would not seek a third term, prompting U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D) to file paperwork to launch her bid. Klobuchar did not immediately respond to a request for comment. DFL Party Chair Richard Carlbom released a statement after Madel’s announcement.

“Trump’s lawless retribution campaign has reached a breaking point,” Carlbom said. “The brutality in our neighborhoods is absolutely indefensible, and even staunch Minnesota Republicans are acknowledging it. Two Minnesotans are dead. That is the cost of bending the knee to Donald Trump rather than standing up for Minnesotans.”

Klobuchar and other Democrats in the U.S. Senate have pledged to vote down an upcoming spending bill if it includes funding for the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE. The current bill includes $10 billion dedicated to ICE.