Lgbt Rights Activists

"Minnesota’s teacher requirements therefore force Christians, Muslims, Jews, and adherents to other religions to violate their faith and endanger their hopes of eternal life in order to work in government-run schools. Forcing people to testify to beliefs they don’t hold, often called compelled speech, is clearly unconstitutional, he said: “They’re essentially requiring people to affirm these ideas that they don’t really believe, in many cases, as a condition of being a public school teacher or being part of a program to be a licensed public school teacher. You can’t force that kind of speech, you can’t require adherence to ideas that aren’t believed.” The 13-member board that made these changes is appointed by the governor, whom for the last six years has been Walz. So, Walz is poised to make similar bigoted, totalitarian, and unconstitutional policies across the United States should he be elected vice president."

"They're out of a Hallmark movie in terms of how decent they are as people, and it's exactly what would want as vice president."

"In an apparent swipe at Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the recipients said they believe that "fabricating military service is beneath the dignity of a veteran and demeaning to those who have served honorably in the Armed Forces." Walz had come under fire for his service in the Minnesota National Guard. He retired in 2005 after 24 years of service ahead of his battalion being deployed to Iraq. He’s been faced with accusations of "stolen valor," with some saying he retired early and did not complete trainings. The recipients also said they believe that "the enemies of freedom must be defeated," and that "the flag is a powerful symbol of freedom." "We believe the United States of America is the greatest nation the world has ever imagined. We believe in mutually pledging to every American our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor," they wrote. "We believe in Donald Trump." Meanwhile, the Harris-Walz campaign touted in September the endorsements from "a bipartisan group of more than 700 national security leaders and former military officials." The Harris-Walz campaign declined to comment on the Trump endorsements when reached Friday by Fox News Digital."

"Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota announced on Monday that he's dropping his bid for a third term as governor amid stinging criticism of the unsuccessful 2024 Democratic vice presidential nominee's handling of his state's massive welfare assistance fraud scandal. "The political gamesmanship we’re seeing from Republicans is only making that fight harder to win," Walz charged in a statement. "But as I reflected on this moment with my family and my team over the holidays, I came to the conclusion that I can’t give a political campaign my all," the governor added. "Every minute I spend defending my own political interests would be a minute I can’t spend defending the people of Minnesota against the criminals who prey on our generosity and the cynics who prey on our differences." "So I’ve decided to step out of the race and let others worry about the election while I focus on the work," the governor announced.Walz launched his bid for a third four-year term as Minnesota governor in September, but in recent weeks has been facing a barrage of incoming political fire from President Donald Trump and Republicans, and some Democrats, over the large-scale theft in a state that has long prided itself on good governance."

"Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota has faced fresh scrutiny over his military service, and how he has characterized his record, in the weeks since he was selected as Vice President Kamala Harris’s running mate. The attacks, spearheaded by his rival for the vice presidency who himself is a veteran, JD Vance, have dogged him since he first ran for Congress nearly two decades ago. Mr. Walz has forcefully defended his time in the Army National Guard. “I am damn proud of my service to this country,” Mr. Walz said this month. “And I firmly believe you should never denigrate another person’s service record.”"

"If Governor Walz becomes our VP, I hope he could help bring some of this thinking [regarding permitting reform for renewable energy projects] to the federal level. . . . It would make an incredible difference in the nation’s progress on climate."

"A straight, football-coaching national guardsman wasn’t the LGBT+ ally that Seth Elliot Meyer expected. But Meyer, who came out as queer in his freshman year of high school in 2000, admits he was wrong about Tim Walz. “I just sort of naively believed that someone who was a big, masculine dude with a deep voice was never someone who’s going to be on my side,” Meyer says. “As much as those younger students who were courageous enough to be out in those years, it was just as important to have those very kind of ‘normal,’ strong, straight, masculine allies backing us up.”"

"Walz launched a new fraud prevention program on Dec. 12, led by a former FBI agent. He applauded the new federal charges on Thursday. "This is exactly the type of strong action we need from prosecutors to ensure fraudsters are put behind bars," Walz said in a statement. "We will not tolerate fraud, and we will continue to work with federal partners to ensure fraud is stopped and fraudsters are caught." James Clark, inspector general of the Minnesota Department of Human Services, said in a statement Thursday the agency "has been moving more aggressively than ever to suspend payments where we see evidence of fraud." He also urged federal officials to share information with the agency, which oversees many of the programs that were hit by fraud allegations. "If there is evidence of Medicaid fraud, the state should be given the information so DHS can slam the door shut on payments to those individuals and businesses," Clark said."

"Before he was governor of Minnesota, before he was a member of Congress, and before he was a candidate for the next vice president of the United States, he was “Mr Walz,” a geography teacher at Mankato West High School, roughly 80 miles south of Minneapolis. In 1999, Walz agreed to be the faculty adviser for the school’s first ever gay-straight alliance (GSA). Walz and his wife Gwen, who also taught at the school, were a refuge for their LGBT+ students, alumni tell The Independent. Dozens of those former students are now campaigning for him to reach the White House."

"A third Democratic staffer laughed that Trump “can’t even keep the plot straight” on who to blame for the Minnesota scandal, pointing fingers at both Walz and Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), who is a Somali immigrant. Still, the fraud scandal continues to be an unwanted firestorm for the Democratic Party that, beyond politics, could jeopardize millions in federal funding. Kelly Loeffler, Trump's Small Business Administration chief, sent a letter to Walz before Christmas, alerting him that the administration would be halting some $5.5 million in funding previously allocated for the state while the federal government continues to investigate additional fraud cases. New reporting that surfaced over the weekend suggests that multiple Minnesota daycare operations were recipients of taxpayer subsidies, despite currently having no children enrolled in the programs. Patel reacted to those reports on Sunday by announcing plans to surge "investigative resources" to expand the federal government's inquiry, adding that the indictments handed out so far represent "just the tip of the iceberg." Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem similarly offered up ICE agents on Monday to conduct investigations of alleged fraud sites."

"Minnesota is far from the only state that has grappled with allegations of public assistance fraud, especially scams targeting pandemic aid funds. But Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Thompson said Minnesota faces a particularly large problem, pointing to 14 different Medicaid programs that the state has flagged for "significant fraud problems." He suggested total losses could reach into the billions. "The fraud is not small. It isn't isolated. The magnitude cannot be overstated," Thompson said at a press conference Thursday. "What we see in Minnesota is not a handful of bad actors committing crimes. It's a staggering, industrial-scale fraud." Walz, whose administration has faced scrutiny for its handling of the issue, has vowed to crack down. Meanwhile, Mr. Trump has sharply criticized Minnesota — and he's lashed out at the state's large Somali-American community as most, but not all, of the defendants are of Somali descent."

"Like, I think that Tim Walz is a great guy and I think he's got a lot of good political instincts, and I think he did the best he could, given the situation he was in. But there is a huge difference between being an outsider who steps in to offer a populist message to the American people and being a, like, friendly Midwestern left-leaning governor Democrat who gets picked as a VP, but is still ultimately beholden to the messaging and policies of your neoliberal President-- or, Presidential candidate."

"'Furthermore, many are also being referred to immigration officials for possible further denaturalization and deportation proceedings where eligible.' Addressing the allegations made in Shirley's video, Patel said the 'FBI is aware of recent social media reports in Minnesota.' He claimed that the bureau has moving to 'dismantle large-scale fraud schemes exploiting federal programs.' 'Fraud that steals from taxpayers and robs vulnerable children will remain a top FBI priority in Minnesota and nationwide. According to Shirley, the childcare center pocketed $1.9 million from Minnesota's Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) in 2025, bringing the total to $4 million. Shirley, in his investigation, arrived at the doorsteps of several daycare centers, claiming to be a father looking to enroll his child, but said he never saw any children at the facilities. He said it was 'potentially the largest fraud scandal in US history.'"

"Walz, who ran as Vice President on the Democratic ticket alongside Kamala Harris in 2024, defended his state on Sunday on X and shared four photographs of him interacting with members of the Somali community. He wrote about Minnesota: '#8 state for safety. #5 state to live in. #3 state for jobs. #2 state to raise a family, and #2 state to retire. 'We've made progress, but there's more to do to deliver security, opportunity, and freedom to every Minnesotan. I won't quit fighting until we're #1.' His post came after outrage over the alleged fraud grew on Friday when independent journalist Nick Shirley shared footage of an apparently empty Minnesota daycare, which reportedly received millions in taxpayer funds. Footage of the facility, featuring a misspelled sign as 'Quality Learing Center', sparked outrage among lawmakers and allegations state authorities allowed the 'largest fraud in US history' to go unchecked. In response, FBI Director Kash Patel said the FBI has long been aware of fraud allegations in the state and threatened action against perpetrators. 'The FBI believes this is just the tip of a very large iceberg,' Patel wrote. 'We will continue to follow the money and protect children, and this investigation very much remains ongoing.'"

"In his announcement, Patel emphasized that the FBI has been aggressively targeting a massive fraud network that stole COVID-era food scheme. 'The FBI has toppled a $250 million fraud network that targeted vulnerable children and exposed a 'large-scale money laundering' operation,' Patel said. 'The investigation exposed sham vendors, shell companies and large-scale money laundering tied to the Feeding Our Future network,' he wrote. 'The case led to 78 indictments and 57 convictions.' Prosecutors alleged that most of the meals intended for low-income children during the pandemic never existed. Instead, the taxpayer's money went to luxury homes, cars, jewelry, and real estate abroad. 'These criminals didn't just engage in historic fraud, but tried to subvert justice as well,' Patel wrote. President Donald Trump criticized Governor Tim Walz for allowing Minnesota to become 'a hub of fraudulent money laundering activity.' He said the perpetrators should be 'sent back to where they came from.' Later, he said he would be revoking the temporary protected status of the roughly 700 Somali nationals who have it, which prevents them from being deported. On Thanksgiving, Trump called Walz 'seriously retarded' and also attacked Rep. Ilhan Omar and Minnesota's immigration policy."

"A month later, in December 2025, the FBI announced that it was deploying additional investigative and personnel resources to “dismantle large-scale fraud schemes exploiting federal programs” in the state, according to its director, Kash Patel. Patel said the agency had already dismantled a $250m fraud scheme that stole federal food aid meant for vulnerable children during the Covid pandemic in a case that led to 78 indictments and 57 convictions. Last week, Walz announced that he would not run for a third term as Minnesota’s governor, as his handling of the fraud has fallen under intense scrutiny from Trump and Republicans. In his announcement, Walz acknowledged that the president and his political allies have taken advantage of the crisis to sow further division in the state. “I won’t mince words here,” Walz said. “Donald Trump and his allies – in Washington, in St Paul and online – want to make our state a colder, meaner place.”"

"The USDA’s announcement coincides with a federal ruling that the Trump administration cannot block federal money for childcare subsidies and other programs aimed at supporting low-income families with children from reaching five Democratic-led states, including Minnesota. The Trump administration has targeted Minnesota over the past year over allegations of fraud, specifically going after the state’s Somali population. Federal prosecutors estimate as much as $9bn has been stolen across schemes allegedly linked to the state’s Somali population. Trump ended legal protections for Somali immigrants in the state in November 2025, claiming that “Somali gangs are terrorizing the people of that great State, and BILLIONS of Dollars are missing. Send them back to where they came from.” Shortly thereafter, Trump went off on both Somalis and Ilhan Omar, the Minnesota congressional representative who is from Somalia and is a US citizen, in a xenophobic rant during a cabinet meeting. “They contribute nothing. I don’t want them in our country, I’ll be honest with you,” the president said. He called Omar “garbage” and said “we’re going to go the wrong way if we keep taking in garbage into our country”."

"Tim Walz addressed the ongoing fraud scandal in Minnesota after a viral video showed an empty daycare center with a misspelled sign that received millions in federal funding. The Minnesota governor claimed he was taking strong action against the alleged fraud, just hours after FBI boss Kash Patel revealed the crisis runs far deeper than initially thought. 'The governor has worked for years to crack down on fraud and ask the state legislature for more authority to take aggressive action,' a spokesperson for Walz told Fox News. 'He has strengthened oversight - including launching investigations into these specific facilities, one of which was already closed.' Walz also 'hired an outside firm to audit payments to high-risk programs, shut down the Housing Stabilization Services program entirely, announced a new statewide program integrity director, and supported criminal prosecutions.' The governor has been inundated with criticism from concerned Americans questioning how he intends to respond to allegations of widespread fraud within the state. Initial reports emerged earlier this month of a massive Covid-era scheme involving the federally funded nonprofit group Feeding Our Future. At least 78 people, 72 of whom are Somali, have been charged in connection with the illicit plot."

"Republican operatives concede that the focus on Walz, the former running mate of Vice President Kamala Harris in 2024, is easy political fodder after an election cycle spent portraying him as an inept and radical governor. And in an election season in which Walz is seeking a rare third term in office, the attacks could prove fruitful in a blue state where Republicans are hoping to make inroads. Still, Republicans believe that “even Democrats” don't want Walz as a candidate in future general elections, and that Democratic politicians such as Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA), a possible 2028 contender for president, or New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, an avowed socialist, will prove the most useful in this and future cycles. “Let’s be honest. This is a guy who made Kamala Harris seem like an expert debater,” said one out-of-government adviser to the president, a veteran of all three of his presidential campaigns. “We’ll have our fun, but I’m not sure that even an expert brander like President Trump can just wish this one into reality.” A second Trump veteran, who previously worked in the White House but has since grown frustrated with the president’s performance in office, said Trump’s focus on Walz and “the past” will eventually wear on voters’ nerves, considering Trump's declining approval ratings. “America elected President Trump in 2024 to save us from the economic disaster that a Harris-Walz administration would inflict,” the former Trump staffer explained. “But that was over a year ago, and we’re more or less in the same place. We’re still dealing with crazy inflation, and all the economic growth we’ve seen this year is propped up by just a handful of tech companies, which the administration is heavily subsidizing by the way. He needs to actually deliver some real results and fix these problems, not just b**** and moan about how much worse things would’ve been if he hadn’t won.”"

"When you look at Tim, you see a Democratic governor delivering results in every community from the cities to the suburbs to rural towns. . . . [H]e has worked around the clock to help middle-class families get ahead. . . . Tim understands that we don’t govern to move a country or a state to the right or the left. Tim won his first race by recognizing that our job is to move our people forward . . . ."

"In 1999, when Reitan came out, Gwen Walz was the third person he told after his close friend and his sister, as he said during his appearance on MSNBC. Reitan subsequently approached Tim Walz to become the advisor for the GSA, and Walz agreed. “Both Tim and Gwen were incredibly supportive of their gay students. They modeled values of inclusivity and respect. That helped not just me — I was bullied in high school — but it also, I think, helped the bully. It helped show the bully a better path forward,” Reitan continued. Reitan went on to have a storied career in LGBTQ+ advocacy before working as a lawyer. In 2006, at age 23, he founded the Soulforce Equality Ride bus tour campaign, which brought LGBTQ+ students to Christian colleges for debates on queer issues. In addition to his work to help repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT) policy, which barred U.S. military servicemembers from disclosing their sexual orientation, Reitan joined the Minnesota Governor’s Task Force on the Prevention of School Bullying in 2012, as the Mankato Free Press reported in a 2017 profile on his work. (Them has reached out to Reitan for comment on this story.) In many respects, that history of LGBTQ+ advocacy lines up with Walz’s own: As a United States congressman, Walz opposed DADT, voting to repeal the policy in 2010. Walz also ran for Congress while openly supporting same-sex marriage in 2006. “He’s a remarkable individual,” Reitan told MSNBC."

"By now it has become clear that the Democrats’ presidential ticket has simply changed out one old lying white guy for another."

"I hope maybe we're at the McCarthy moment. Do you have no decency? Do you have no decency? We have someone dead. In their car For no reason whatsoever, and And I, I don't, I don't want to be right about this, but I said if they do this they're going to create a chaotic situation where someone innocent's going to get killed, and they did it. And now we hear more political rhetoric. Enough, enough is enough. And so to Minnesotans don't take the bait. Do not take the bait. Do not allow them to deploy federal troops into here. Do not allow them to invoke the Insurrection Act. Do not allow them to declare martial law. Do not allow them to lie about the security and the decency of this state. And let's let this investigation play itself. Let's make sure we protect our neighbors. I encourage you to use your First Amendment rights and all of your constitutional rights, but do so in a peaceful manner. We'll gather back with you as soon as we gather more information that needs to be put out. But again, stay safe, Minnesotans, and we'll be back with you."

"I have a very simple message. We do not need any further help from the federal government. To Donald Trump and Kristi Noem: you've done enough. There's nothing more important than Minnesotan safety. I've issued a warning order to prepare the Minnesota National Guard. We have soldiers in training and prepared to be deployed if necessary. I remind you, a warning order is a heads up for folks, and these National Guard troops are our National Guard troops. They're teachers in your community. They're business owners. They're construction professionals. They are Minnesotans. Minnesota will not allow our community to be used as a prop in a national political fight. We will not take the bait. We will continue to update you, Minnesota, as we get more information."

"After Vice President Kamala Harris announced Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate earlier this week, LGBTQ+ voters immediately zeroed in on one particular detail from his lengthy biography: In 1999, while coaching the football team at Mankato High School and working as a social studies teacher, he also served as the faculty advisor for the school’s first-ever gay-straight alliance (GSA). “It really needed to be the football coach, who was the soldier and was straight and was married,” Walz told the Star Tribune in 2018 of the symbolic significance of his decision to advise the group. As any queer person who was in grade school in 1999 can attest, the straight teacher who coached the football team and served in the Army National Guard is perhaps the last person you’d expect to sponsor a GSA. That's exactly why Jacob Reitan, a former student of Walz’s wife Gwen at Mankato High, was so impressed by the couple’s vocal support for LGBTQ+ youth. In an MSNBC interview with NBC News’ Jen Psaki on Wednesday night, Reitan recalled the impact the Walz family had on him in 1997 when he was still in the closet."

"The Trump administration announced it is suspending $129m in federal benefit payments to Minnesota amid allegations of widespread fraud in the state. The secretary of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), Brooke Rollins, shared a letter on Friday on social media that was addressed to Minnesota’s governor, Tim Walz, and the mayor of Minneapolis, Jacob Frey, notifying them of the administration’s decision and citing investigations into alleged fraud conducted by local non-profits and businesses. “Despite a staggering, wide-reaching fraud scandal, your administrations refuse to provide basic information or take common sense measures to stop fraud. The Trump administration refuses to allow such fraud to continue,” Rollins wrote. Rollins asked Walz and Frey to provide the USDA with justification for all federal spending from 20 January 2025 to the present within 30 days. She is also requiring that all federal payments to the state moving forward require the same justification. “We’re communicating with state partners to understand the impacts of such a blanket cut to funding meant for residents most in need,” Brian Feintech, a spokesperson for the city of Minneapolis, said in a written statement in response to Rollins’s letter. “What’s abundantly clear is that Minneapolis is the latest target of the Trump administration – willing to harm Americans in service to its perceived political gain.” Minnesota’s attorney general, Keith Ellison, publicly responded to Rollins’s post, writing on X: “I will not allow you to take from Minnesotans in need. I’ll see you in court.”"

"The revelation of widespread fraud committed by members of Minnesota’s Somali community is a political gift for President Donald Trump, allowing him to elevate Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) as a sorely needed foil for Republicans ahead of the midterm elections. But veteran campaign operatives for both parties expect that Walz's status as a Democratic boogeyman will be short-lived, and that Republicans will inevitably look back to California or New York, where bigger-name figures are dominating GOP claims of socialism and incompetence. Trump has heaped attacks on Walz in the weeks after the fraud became a national news story, with the president and Republicans more broadly questioning how hundreds of millions in federal dollars were squandered under Walz's watch. The fraud represents the latest misuse of pandemic-era funds and has become a ballooning case for the Justice Department, which has prosecuted dozens of alleged conspirators. But the story also has a political dimension that ties together the GOP's emphasis on fiscal responsibility with the hard line it has drawn on immigration. FBI Director Kash Patel said that his agency is working with immigration authorities for "possible further denaturalization and deportation proceedings.” Walz has defended his handling of the fraud allegations, telling Fox News that his office "strengthened oversight" once the schemes came to light. But that defense has not quieted the criticism, as the Trump administration and its congressional allies expand investigations into suspected misconduct and even begin to withhold federal dollars. Meanwhile, Trump has blamed Democratic policies for an influx of immigrants he says are "completely taking over" the country, and has hurled insults at Walz, drawing controversy for calling him a dated slur for intellectually disabled people."

"You know, you might not know it, but I haven’t given a lot of big speeches like this. But I have given a lot of pep talks. So let me finish with this, team. It’s the fourth quarter. We’re down a field goal. But we’re on offense and we’ve got the ball. We’re driving down the field. And boy, do we have the right team."

"You know, when I was teaching, every year we’d elect a student body president. And you know what? Those teenagers could teach Donald Trump a hell of a lot about what a leader is. Leaders don’t spend all day insulting people and blaming others. Leaders do the work."

"Look, we’ve got 76 days. That’s nothing. There’ll be time to sleep when you’re dead. We’re going to leave it on the field. That’s how we’ll keep moving forward. That’s how we’ll turn the page on Donald Trump. That’s how we’ll build a country where workers come first, health care and housing are human rights, and the government stays the hell out of your bedroom. That’s how we make America a place where no child is left hungry. Where no community is left behind. Where nobody gets told they don’t belong. That’s how we’re going to fight."

"Freedom. When Republicans use the word freedom, they mean that the government should be free to invade your doctor’s office. Corporations — free to pollute your air and water. And banks — free to take advantage of customers. But when we Democrats talk about freedom, we mean the freedom to make a better life for yourself and the people that you love. Freedom to make your own health care decisions. And yeah, your kids’ freedom to go to school without worrying about being shot dead in the hall."

"If you’ve never experienced the hell that is infertility, I guarantee you, you know somebody who has. I can remember praying each night for a phone call. The pit in your stomach when the phone would ring, and the absolute agony when we heard the treatments hadn’t worked."

"Look, I know guns. I’m a veteran. I’m a hunter. And I was a better shot than most Republicans in Congress, and I’ve got the trophies to prove it. But I’m also a dad. I believe in the Second Amendment, but I also believe our first responsibility is to keep our kids safe."

"We've been warning for weeks that the Trump administration's dangerous, sensationalized operations are a threat to our public safety, that someone was going to get hurt. Just yesterday, I said exactly that. What we're seeing is the consequences of governance designed to generate fear, headlines, and conflict. It's governing by reality TV, and today that recklessness cost someone their life."

"But I'll have to be honest with you, what struck me everywhere I went -- without exception, people really wanted the same basic things out of an American life. And I wanna be clear, when I say "basic things", I mean things like meaningful work, safe neighborhoods, good schools, affordable quality healthcare. But I also mean something more. It became clear to me, people want security. And I mean that broadly; they wanna feel like their life is built on a solid foundation that won't collapse under them if the wind blows the wrong way or something happens. People want an opportunity where they feel like they can get ahead, not just settling to get by. And they really are concerned about giving their kids a chance to get ahead. And I think, most of all (and you saw it, in a very deep way), people want freedom. To live their lives the way they want to live them. It's not the way-- Maybe their neighbors wouldn't want them to live the same way, but the freedom is supposed to be everybody's birthright! Not because of how much money you had, or where your family came from, no matter who you love or how you prayed... or what you think about the issues of the day are."

"When Kamala talks about freedom . . . (this is where the party of Reagan should be with it) {she means} the freedom for you to make decisions about your life, not government officials. . . . This room should be full of the people who fly the "Don't Tread on Me" flag cuz . . . we're the ones saying, "Not on our watch! Not on our watch!" . . . In Chicago we took back the flag from them, . . . we took back freedom . . . and just for good damn measure we're taking football back from them too!"

"[If] you're feeling deflated, discouraged today, I get it. Take some time, take care of yourselves, take care of your loved ones, take care of your community! There's a million ways to make a positive difference and get back in this fight when you're ready. And know that, when you're ready to get back in that fight, I'll be standing right here, ready to fight the fight with you."

"Donald Trump and his administration may not care much about Minnesota. That's been pretty evident, but we love this state. We won't let them tear us apart. We'll not turn against each other. To Minnesotans, I say this, I feel your anger. I'm angry. They want a show. We can't give it to them. We cannot. If you protest and express your First Amendment rights, please do so peacefully as you always do. We can't give them what they want. The hearts and minds of the people in this state are on our side. To Americans, I ask you this. Please stand with Minneapolis. To Minnesotans know that our administration is going to stop at nothing to seek accountability and justice"

"Even if we wouldn't make those same choices for ourselves, we've got a golden rule. Mind your own damn business, [the audience responded with a round of applause] and that includes, IVF infertility treatments, and this is personal for Gwen and I."

"Multiple senior Democratic officials, one of whom staffed Walz on the 2024 campaign trail, told the Washington Examiner that the Minnesota fraud scandal plays into the GOP’s electoral strengths but doubted that it would help Minnesota Republicans win next year’s gubernatorial election or resonate with voters beyond the state like Trump’s immigration rhetoric did while running against Harris. “The thing about the border security issue was it was so present. People see ‘fraud’ and Somalian immigrants, but it’s not like the images of people running across the border or through the Rio Grande,” the former Walz aide said. “I’m always worried about the misuse of public dollars, but this is a little in the weeds.” A second senior Democratic official welcomed Trump’s attacks on Walz, saying the president’s focus could solidify support from the “anti-Trump” crowd around the incumbent. “No Democrat is running against Gov. Walz because we, and the voters, know the truth: He is a good man, and Trump’s attacks are more rooted in racism than reality,” the official assessed, noting that Republicans, by contrast, have not yet landed a strong recruit for the governor's race. “On the other side, you’ve got basically a dozen Republicans all trying to out-Trump each other, and they’re all probably going to lose to Mike Lindell," they added. "Minnesota hasn’t voted a new Republican into a major office since Trump stepped off the golden escalator, and I seriously doubt the My Pillow guy is going to change that.""

"I was born in a small town in Nebraska, where community meant everything. . . . At 17, I joined the Army National Guard. For 24 years, I proudly wore the uniform of this nation. . . . I had the privilege of teaching public school social studies and coaching football for 20 years. . . . I lived in a red district, but my neighbors . . . graced me with the opportunity to go to the United States House of Representatives for 12 years to represent them. . . . And as governor of the great state of Minnesota, I brought all that experience . . . to tackling the challenges that were facing our state."

"Violent crime was up under Donald Trump. And that’s not even counting the crimes he committed."

"[S]ome of us who have less hair and are old enough can remember when you could go to Thanksgiving . . . and not complain about politics the whole time . . . because you shared a commitment to democracy, a commitment to personal freedoms, a commitment to public education, a commitment to infrastructure."

"Thank you, Madam Vice-President, for the trust we have put in me — but maybe more so, thank you for bringing back the joy. I am thrilled to be on this journey with you and Doug — this incredible journey."

"These are weird people on the other side. They wanna take books away, they wanna be in your exam room. That’s what it comes down to and don’t, you know, get sugar-coating this: these are weird ideas."

"I can't wait to debate the guy–that is if he's willing to get off the couch and show up."

"They spent so much money in his first campaign making him look like a buffoon ... You're with him for five minutes and you see that's not true."

"But let’s be clear: we have more work to do. Across the country, the pandemic disrupted the lives of our students. And despite the heroic efforts of teachers, students, and parents, many of our kids have fallen behind. We’ve re-doubled our efforts with summer catchup programs but we have more work to do. And to be clear: the burden is not on our children, or even our teachers – it’s on all of us. That’s why in this coming legislative session, we will make the largest investment in public education the state has ever seen. We will pass universal meals to ensure every student is given something to eat and no child has to worry about the color of their lunch ticket. We will fund special education and make sure every young person in Minnesota has the resources they need to succeed. We will put mental health front and center. We’ll work together to stop the stigma and allow young people access to the help they need to reach their full potential. We will ban conversion therapy to ensure that every LGBTQ student knows they are perfect just the way they are. And we will fund programs to recruit and train the next generation of teachers – so a diverse generation of students has an equally diverse generation of teachers. But Investing in our classrooms is only the beginning. Building the best schools in the nation is a good start, but to make Minnesota the best state for kids we need to make sure that kids are thriving in and OUT of the classroom. Children can’t learn if they’re hungry or without a home. We have the opportunity to ensure every child has a safe place to call home and that no child goes hungry. I am committed to ending child poverty in Minnesota."

"My mission as governor is simple: make Minnesota the best state in the country for kids. This is what I have charged my team to do – to make our state the best place to raise a family, and I’m proud to say we have made historic strides."

"Now is the time to be bold and build a bright future for all Minnesotans. Now is the time to deliver. We can lead the nation in ending child poverty and making sure every child receives a world-class education. And in doing so, we will continue to make Minnesota the best place to raise a family. I have a positive vision for the future of our state and it’s rooted in my belief that we’re in this together. I still believe that we’re One Minnesota – not that we are all the same or that we all the agree, but that we can work together across lines of difference to do what’s right, what’s fair, and make our state a better place for all. As I look into this room and see so many newly elected leaders—including the promising faces of our new majorities in both the House and the Senate—I can’t help but feel optimistic. I’m looking at a state legislature—on both sides of the aisle—that looks more like the people of Minnesota than any time in history. This gives me hope. It inspires me. And I look forward to working together – Republicans and Democrats alike. I’ll work with anyone who’s willing to work with me to get things done – because Minnesotans spoke clearly this last election, and they expect all of us to do just that: get things done. The era of gridlock is over. Minnesotans have chosen hope over fear, fact over fiction, and action over excuses. Our path is clear. It’s time to lead."