GOP lawyer Chris Madel drops Minnesota governor bid, calls ICE crackdown a disaster

Republican attorney Chris Madel ended his campaign for Minnesota governor on January 26, 2026, saying he could no longer support the Trump administration immigration crackdown in Minnesota. Madel, who had represented the ICE agent who fatally shot Renee Good, announced his candidacy in December 2025 on a pro-law enforcement platform. He called Operation Metro Surge "an unmitigated disaster" and said he was unable to support "national Republicans' stated retribution on the citizens of our state." His withdrawal came two days after nurse Alex Pretti was killed by a CBP agent.