RGA Statement on Tim Walz Running for Re-election

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Republican Governors Association (RGA) released the following statement in response to Tim Walz's announcement that he will run for re-election:

"After his national loss Tim Walz has made no secret of embracing the most extreme policies that Democrats have to offer as he attempts to compete against his fellow Democrats on the national stage. While Tim Walz is spending his time fundraising with the nation's most liberal donors and pushing the disastrous policies of national Democrats, Minnesota is suffering. Minnesotans deserve a governor who will actually do the job, work for them, and take governing seriously. That's not Tim Walz," said RGA Communications Director Courtney Alexander.

A reminder of Tim Walz's failed record:

Economy

• Tim Walz, who called himself a "train wreck," turned the state's $19 billion surplus into a $6 billion deficit.
• Walz raised taxes on residents and businesses in Minnesota, a state with one of the highest tax burdens in the country.
• Walz opposed historic middle-class tax cuts.
• Under Walz's leadership, Minnesota has seen its unemployment rate climb to the highest it has been in four years.
• According to Walz, "one person's socialism is another person's neighborliness."
• Walz wholeheartedly embraced the national Democrat policies that drove up prices including the Build Back Better agenda, the American Rescue Plan, and the Inflation Reduction Act.
• Walz has been described as "a hands-off leader when it comes to seeking accountability for episodes of fraud and mismanagement on his watch" as Minnesota experienced massive scandals involving waste, fraud and abuse.

Immigration

• Walz supported sanctuary state status for Minnesota.
• Walz opposed the construction of a border wall, calling it "ridiculous."
• Walz called Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents "Trump's modern-day Gestapo."
• Walz signed a bill that expanded access to driver's licenses for illegal immigrants.

Public Safety

• As cities in Minnesota burned due to riots, Walz was accused of hesitating to deploy the National Guard until it was too late despite a request from the mayor of Minneapolis.
• Walz has endorsed taking money away from law enforcement and shifting police funding to community groups.

Energy

• Walz championed an extreme and far-reaching environmental agenda that would raise energy costs for Minnesota by billions of dollars.
• Walz has pushed for Minnesota to copy California's radical vehicle emissions standards.

Education

• Walz chose government bureaucracy over students when he opposed a statewide school choice program in Minnesota, preventing parents from choosing the best education path for their children, and preventing students from having their best opportunity to succeed.

Social Issues

• Walz issued an executive order and signed a bill making Minnesota a "sanctuary state" for children seeking puberty blockers and surgical gender transition procedures.
• Walz supports allowing biological men to play in girls' school sports in Minnesota.

Voting

• Walz opposes requiring photo identification for voting.
• Walz signed a bill allowing convicted felons to vote before their probation or parole was completed.

###