Minnesota’s Democratic Governor Tim Walz announced Monday he will not seek re-election amid a sprawling fraud scandal that has rocked the state, but Republicans are dismissing the move as an attempt to evade accountability rather than face it.

“Don’t mistake Gov. Walz’s retirement for accountability,” Minnesota state Sen. Mark Koran said in a statement. “It’s an attempt to avoid it. Republicans will keep holding ALL elected Democrats accountable for Minnesota’s fraud mess, spending every dollar of the $18 billion surplus, and raising taxes by $10 billion.”

For many Republican lawmakers in the state, Walz’s decision falls short of their demands for his immediate resignation, which they’ve been calling for in recent months as details of the fraud scandal have emerged.

“The Governor is taking the easy way out, but it’s not good enough,” state Sen. Michael Holmstrom said. “Minnesotans deserve and demand an IMMEDIATE resignation.”

Walz, who had launched his bid for a third four-year term in September, has faced mounting political pressure from both Republicans and some Democrats over what has become one of the nation’s largest COVID-era fraud schemes. The scandal has tarnished Minnesota’s longstanding reputation for good governance.

The scope of the fraud is staggering. More than 90 people—predominantly from Minnesota’s Somali community—have been charged since 2022 in connection with various fraudulent operations. These include misappropriation of funds from meal programs, housing initiatives, daycare centers, and Medicaid services.

The financial impact remains unclear, but federal prosecutors have indicated the total could exceed $1 billion and potentially reach as high as $9 billion. The U.S. Attorney for Minnesota has described it as the largest pandemic-related fraud case in the country.

State Sen. Rich Draheim accused Walz of “passing the buck” with his announcement while “blaming Republicans for his failures.” Similarly, Republican Sen. Andrew Lang emphasized that “retirement isn’t accountability.”

“It’s him trying to wipe his hands clean of the fraud mess,” Lang said. “But ALL elected Democrats own this. They fought Republican efforts to stop the fraud, failed to hold Walz’s agencies accountable, and let Minnesotans’ tax dollars get siphoned off by fraudsters.”

The timing of Walz’s announcement has sparked speculation about potential successors. Sources confirmed to Fox News that Walz met Sunday with Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar to discuss his decision to drop his re-election bid, fueling rumors that Klobuchar—a former Hennepin County attorney who has won four U.S. Senate elections—may consider running to replace him.

Republican state Sen. Andrew Mathews expressed frustration with what he sees as a simple changing of the guard rather than addressing fundamental issues.

“Make no mistake, I don’t want Tim Walz to be our governor,” Mathews said. “But rather than swapping Democrat governor candidates, I want to FIX the damage Gov. Walz has done: Blew through an $18 billion surplus, raised taxes by $10 billion, oversaw one of the largest fraud scandals in the country, left Minnesota for months chasing a failed VP bid, now decides to leave office.”

He concluded: “This isn’t accountability. It’s avoiding it.”

The fraud scandal represents a significant political liability for Minnesota Democrats heading into the next election cycle. While Walz’s decision not to seek re-election may help the party distance itself from the controversy, Republicans appear determined to keep the issue at the forefront of public debate.

The case has raised questions about oversight and accountability in state government programs, particularly those expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic when normal verification procedures were sometimes relaxed to expedite aid delivery.