Op-Ed: Rep. Lisa Demuth: Americans need to know Gov. Tim Walz’s real record
If Kamala Harris chooses Gov. Tim Walz, Americans need to know about his disastrous record, and make sure they vote accordingly this November, state Rep. Lisa Demuth writes.
It seems like you can’t turn on a liberal TV show during the last several days without seeing Minnesota Governor Tim Walz auditioning to join Vice President Kamala Harris on the most liberal presidential ticket our country has ever seen.
Here in Minnesota, we personally would like to see Gov. Walz focused on his job here at home.
Gov. Walz likes to tout his legislative achievements from the past two years of one-party Democratic control, but voters need to know the real story. The last two years featured some of the most extreme and irresponsible policies we’ve ever seen in our state: $10 billion dollars in tax increases, an unsustainable and unaffordable 40 percent increase in state spending, nNew fees on your online orders, massive cost increases for your Uber and Lyft rides, expensive and extreme energy mandates that will drive up the electric bills for you and your family, andeven a gas tax increase that goes up automatically every single year!
If you liked the inflation and sky-high costs under the Biden/Harris administration, Gov. Walz is right there with them.
Under Gov. Walz’s watch, fraud and waste in our state public programs has exploded. His administration allowed criminals to steal more than $500 million from a program intended to feed hungry children over the course of four years.
The fraud was allowed to continue unchecked, and the state’s nonpartisan Legislative Auditor determined that his agency’s inadequate oversight “created opportunities for fraud” to occur. Worst of all, not a single commissioner or state employee was disciplined or fired for their failure to adequately protect state tax dollars.
Gov. Walz enjoys talking about his time in the classroom and touting his record as a teacher. Minnesota parents know that his record is nothing to brag about — fewer than half of Minnesota students are meeting state standards in reading and math. During his time in office, test scores have declined in both by 17 percent, and school attendance rates have suffered as well with only 69 percent of students consistently in the classroom.
The “investments” he brags about on national TV were paired with crushing mandates that have resulted in budget cuts in schools across our state. Minnesota kids are simply not getting the education they deserve under Gov. Walz.
But really, it shouldn’t be a surprise that Gov. Walz is on a shortlist to serve on the ticket with Kamala Harris. In many ways, they share many of the same extreme policies.
Kamala Harris wants to decriminalize border crossings and give benefits to illegal immigrants. She served as Joe Biden’s border czar, overseeing a flood of millions of illegal immigrants into the country. Tim Walz signed a bill to give illegal immigrants free tuition, drivers licenses, and even health benefits, making Minnesota a magnet for illegal immigration.
Kamala Harris wants to get rid of gas-powered vehicles and impose expensive electric vehicle mandates. Tim Walz did the same in Minnesota, imposing California-style electric vehicle mandates that drive up the cost of vehicles.
Kamala Harris wants to abolish private health insurance, taking away health plans that millions of Americans rely on and want to keep. Gov. Walz signed a bill to eliminate health plans for 32,000 Minnesotans, further reducing plan options for Minnesota families.
Kamala Harris supported the Minnesota Freedom Fund — a controversial non-profit that bailed out rioters in 2020 and that freed violent criminals who went on to commit more crimes including murders and sexual assaults. Tim Walz let protests spin out of control into riots, resulting in injuries to officers and millions in damages to cities and businesses as Minneapolis burned for days before he was forced to respond.
Kamala Harris wants to coddle criminals by ending mandatory minimum sentences, shortening probation, and refusing to enforce penalties for parole violations. Tim Walz signed a bill to reduce sentences for violent criminals, and his administration supported efforts to reduce probation even for the most heinous criminal offenses.
Make no mistake — no matter who Kamala Harris chooses for Vice President, she is the most extreme major party candidate in my lifetime. If she chooses Gov. Walz, Americans need to know about his disastrous record, and make sure they vote accordingly this November.
Lisa Demuth is the House Minority Leader for Minnesota Republicans.
