GOP Candidate Chris Madel Drops Run for Minnesota Governor Due to Republican 'Retribution' in State

Chris Madel is ending his run for the governor's seat in Minnesota ... because of his own Republican Party's "retribution" on the citizens of his home state.

The attorney, who was running as a Republican, posted a video on X Monday declaring he's dropping out ... he says he still supports deporting "the worst of the worst" from Minnesota -- the original stated goal in the ongoing Operation Metro Surge undertaken by ICE and CBP agents in the Twin Cities.

But Madel thinks President Donald Trump's approach to immigration enforcement in Minneapolis and St. Paul is an "unmitigated disaster." He stated plainly ... "I cannot support the national Republicans' stated retribution on the citizens of our state, nor can I count myself a member of a party that would do so."

He said winning a statewide election in Minnesota is "nearly impossible" in the current political climate.

The video comes two days after Alex Pretti was shot to death by a Border Patrol agent in Minneapolis. That's the third time federal agents have shot a civilian in the city since the start of the year -- Renee Nicole Good was fatally shot by an ICE agent on January 7, and an unidentified man was shot in the leg by a federal agent a week afterward.

Several Republicans in Congress have called for a full investigation into Pretti's death in the days since he was shot, reports NPR.