Tim Walz’s Record: A Minnesota Resident’s Perspective
Having lived in Minnesota for 50 years, I have closely followed the career of vice presidential nominee Tim Walz. Here are some important points that Americans should be aware of:
- Under Walz’s leadership, Minnesota’s prosperity has declined. Our state, historically prosperous with a per-capita GDP above the national average, fell below the national average in 2023 due to high taxes, excessive spending, heavy regulation, and anti-growth policies.
- Minnesota, once known for low crime rates, has seen a rise in crime under Gov. Walz, particularly during the George Floyd riots. The state now has a higher per-capita rate of serious crimes than the national average.
- While education spending has increased in Minnesota, student achievement has plummeted. More than half of K-12 students can’t read or do math at grade level, with record-low reading scores for 4th and 8th graders.
- People are leaving Minnesota due to poor policies, making it a state that many are moving out of rather than into. The state now sees net losses in population across all age ranges and income brackets.
Despite these issues, Gov. Walz won re-election in 2022, aided by factors such as the popularity of abortion among swing voters and significant out-of-state funding for Democrats.
On a national level, Democrats have chosen Walz as their vice presidential candidate. However, his rural Minnesota roots are ironic given his contentious relationship with rural residents, whom he once disparaged as “rocks and cows.”
Walz’s military service, while commendable, has also faced criticism for his actions during his deployment to Iraq. His decision to resign from the National Guard and subsequent controversies have drawn mixed reactions.
As a Minnesotan, I am concerned about the prospect of Walz influencing national policies based on his track record in our state. His actions in Minnesota should not be replicated on a larger scale in America.
John Hinderaker, President of the Center of the American Experiment
