Walz has governed Minnesota from the far left and will do the same if elected our next vice president
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On paper, Tim Walz and I are a lot alike. We both served in the military, we are both former educators, we both worked on farms, and we both live in Southern Minnesota. But that is where our similarities end.
While our backgrounds are similar, our politics could not be any different, and our country is being sold a lie by Democrats who want you to think he is a moderate.
Minnesota was once known for its beautiful lakes, rolling hills and rural charm. Under Gov. Tim Walz, Minnesota has been known for riots, tampons in boys' bathrooms and free tuition for illegal immigrants.
Gov. Tim Walz campaigns in Las Vegas on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024. (Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
His record on the economy is no better.
In the first quarter of 2024, Minnesota’s GDP shrank by nearly a percentage point. He has advocated for millions of dollars in tax increases on hardworking Minnesota families, all while increasing government spending by more than 40% annually.
Under Walz’s failed leadership, Minnesota has ranked at the top of the list for states suffering from out-migration.
Walz has defended his record of promoting socialist policies by saying, "One person’s socialism is another person’s neighborliness."
These are not the policies supported by a majority of Minnesotans, and they certainly will not be supported by a majority of Americans.
I represent a district in the southern part of Minnesota and nearly every month, I receive a postcard from Gov. Kristi Noem encouraging my family and our neighbors to move to South Dakota for better-paying jobs and more freedom.
Just south of us, Iowa has lower tax rates and better opportunities than our communities. Tim Walz has forgotten the community that raised him, and as vice president, he will likely forget the state that gave him his platform.
I would like to think I have a unique perspective on Minnesota vice presidential nominees – after all, I did live in Walter Mondale’s childhood home.
But millions of Americans across this country share my concerns. Right here in Minnesota, I have heard the concerns of my neighbors and constituents – many of whom voted for Walz – that his progressive politics do not bring balance to the Democratic ticket.
But I think this decision has less to do with Walz’s politics and more to do with winning in November. This is a good thing for Republicans and shows just how weak the Democrats are.
The Democrats' decision to choose Walz indicates trouble in the Rust Belt. States like Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan have 35 must-win electoral votes. Though Minnesota has not voted for a Republican presidential candidate since Richard Nixon, former President Trump's policies offer a stark contrast to Walz's failed tenure.
Polls indicate these states are tight and could start trending red. Trump thinks he will sweep the entire region.
The America First policies of low taxes, stronger borders and more good-paying manufacturing jobs resonate with Rust Belt voters who have been taken advantage of by Washington. This is quite the contrast from the Democratic ticket.
Kamala Harris and Tim Walz are the most radically progressive presidential and vice presidential candidates of my lifetime, and as a former history teacher, I can tell you he may be one of the most radical in our nation’s entire history – and they are proud to wear that badge.
Walz was once my congressman, and he is currently my governor. But his policies do not represent me, my district or my state, and they certainly do not represent our nation.
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The media and national Democrats want you to think that Walz is just like you and me. He’s a camo-wearing, duck-hunting, Midwestern dad – in other words, he’s just a normal Minnesotan.
But do not let his folksy Midwestern charm fool you – Tim Walz is not a moderate. He has governed our state from the far left and will do the same if elected our next vice president.
State Rep. Bjorn Olson, a Republican, represents District 22A in south-central Minnesota in the state's House of Representatives.
