Amy Klobuchar is a four-term U.S. Senator (2007-present) and the first woman elected to the Senate from Minnesota. She previously served as Hennepin County Attorney in Minneapolis. Klobuchar launched her 2026 gubernatorial campaign on January 29, 2026, positioning herself as a 'transformative' leader to unify a state fractured by immigration enforcement crackdowns, fraud scandals, and political violence. She won the DFL caucus straw poll on February 3, 2026, with 72% of the vote. If elected, she would be Minnesota's first female governor and would appoint her own U.S. Senate successor since she was reelected in 2024.