A Republican gubernatorial campaign in Minnesota just collapsed under the weight of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown — and the candidate didn’t mince words on the way out.
Chris Madel, a first-time candidate and Republican lawyer, announced Monday that he is dropping out of the race to replace outgoing Gov. Tim Walz, saying the chaos and brutality surrounding federal immigration enforcement in Minnesota has made it “impossible” for him to continue as a Republican.
“I cannot support the national Republicans’ stated retribution on the citizens of this state, nor can I count myself a member of a party that would do so,” Madel said in a video posted to X.
That statement alone marks a stunning break from party orthodoxy — but Madel went further. While stressing that he supports deporting immigrants accused of serious crimes, he said recent actions by federal agents crossed a line he couldn’t defend, personally or politically.
He said he could not look his daughters in the eye and tell them he was running as a Republican while federal immigration agents sent by a Republican administration were detaining people based on skin color.
“I am above all else a pragmatist,” Madel said. “The reality is that the national Republicans have made it nearly impossible for a Republican to win a statewide election in Minnesota.”
His exit comes amid a political firestorm over federal immigration operations in the state, which have triggered widespread protests and national scrutiny following the shooting deaths of two people connected to immigration enforcement activity. Last week, 37-year-old Renee Good was killed, and over the weekend, another 37-year-old ICE observer, Alex Pretti, was shot dead.
Madel told The Wall Street Journal that he had already been reconsidering his candidacy after last week’s gubernatorial debate — one that notably featured zero questions about immigration policy or the killing of Good, despite the issue dominating headlines and public outrage across the state.
The governor’s race was already upended earlier this month when Walz announced he would not seek reelection, opening the door to a wide-open contest. Madel’s departure now adds another layer of instability, particularly for Minnesota Republicans struggling to defend a federal crackdown that has become deeply unpopular.
Complicating matters further is Madel’s professional connection to the controversy. He had previously agreed to assist Jonathan Ross, the ICE veteran who killed Good. In his video statement, Madel said he helped Ross “fill out a form,” explaining that he did so out of a commitment to due process.
That decision didn’t land quietly. According to the Journal, Madel’s involvement rattled his law firm and prompted at least one attorney to resign — a signal of how radioactive the issue has become, even within Republican-leaning professional circles.
Madel’s withdrawal is a warning flare. A Republican candidate in a statewide race is openly saying the party’s immigration agenda has become politically and morally indefensible — and that it’s costing the GOP its ability to compete at all in Minnesota.
