Former Vice President Kamala Harris‘s former running mate is not considering a Senate bid as rumored.

Instead, Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) is looking toward a third term in 2026.

“Governor Walz is not running for the United States Senate,” Walz spokesman Teddy Tschann said. “He loves his job as Governor and he’s exploring the possibility of another term to continue his work to make Minnesota the best state in the country for kids.”

Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN) said earlier this month that she would not seek reelection in 2026, opening up a critical swing seat. Walz could have given Democrats a boost, given that he is widely recognized and pretty well-liked.

He is also not expected to endorse a candidate in the Democratic-Farmer-Labor party’s primary for the seat.

Reps. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and Angie Craig (D-MN) are considering running for the seat, and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan (D-MN) has already declared her candidacy. On the Republican side, 2024 Senate candidate Royce White has said he will run again, and retired Navy SEAL Adam Schwarze will as well.

As for another aspect of Walz’s future, his possible presidential ambitions, he is not ruling them out.

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“It’s too early to talk about that,” he told a Dutch news outlet after being asked about a future run. “Not ruling it out. I have a friend who told me, ‘Don’t ever turn down a job you haven’t been offered.’ I have not been offered that job, but it was a privilege to run with Vice President Harris. I think our message was the right one for America. I’ll do what’s asked.”

If Walz decides to run for a third term, he would likely have a good shot at recapturing the office. He won by around 11 points in 2018 before winning reelection at around an 8-point margin in 2022. Both runs came before his widely touted vice presidential bid, which raised his public profile significantly.