Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, Democrats’ 2024 candidate for vice-president, is ending his bid for a third term as governor amid President Donald Trump’s relentless focus on a fraud investigation into child care programmes in the state.

Less than four months after announcing his re-election campaign, Walz said on Monday that he could no longer devote the energy necessary to win another term, even as he expressed confidence that he could win.

Walz said in a statement on Monday that he “can’t give a political campaign my all” after what he described as an “extraordinarily difficult year for our state”.

“Donald Trump and his allies – in Washington, in St Paul, and online – want to make our state a colder, meaner place,” Walz said, referring to the Trump administration withholding funds for the programmes. “They want to poison our people against each other by attacking our neighbours. And ultimately, they want to take away much of what makes Minnesota the best place in America to raise a family.”

Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota is considering running for governor, according to a person close to her. The person, who wasn’t authorised to speak publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity, said Klobuchar has not made a final decision.

Around a dozen Republicans are already in the race. They include MyPillow founder and Chief Executive Mike Lindell, an election denier who is close to Trump. They also include Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth, of Cold Spring; Dr Scott Jensen, a former state senator from Chaska who was the party’s 2022 candidate; state Representative Kristin Robbins, of Maple Grove; defence lawyer and former federal prosecutor Chris Madel; former executive Kendall Qualls; and former Minnesota Republican Party Chair David Hann.