Opinion | Minnesotans’ lives can improve if we unite around key issues

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Minnesota has been the topic of national news lately — and not for the right reasons.

First, we are a national disgrace because hundreds of millions of our taxpayer dollars — provided to Minnesota through the federal government — were stolen while Gov. Tim Walz and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan’s administration ignored the warning signs. Yes, the criminals must be held accountable, but the larger problem is that DFL politicians completely failed in their basic duty to make sure our laws were followed and our taxpayer dollars were used responsibly. Fraud, waste and abuse at both the federal and state levels raise taxes and fuel inflation. They can make everyday life less affordable for Minnesotans.

Second, President Donald Trump has sparked a discussion about border security and unvetted refugees that has brought renewed attention to the crime problem that Walz and Flanagan have been unwilling to address since 2020. The recent clashes with ICE in Minneapolis have only made it clear that DFL politicians’ response to lawlessness is to demand that the Trump administration simply not enforce the law. While proposing no improvements to our immigration laws, Democrats like Angie Craig, Walz and Flanagan have allowed chaos to ensue and obstructed the Trump administration while Minnesotans suffer from rising crime and fentanyl fatalities.

The DFL Party has long claimed in its name a commitment to helping working families and farmers. Today, they have become the party of government, and their commitment to increasing taxes and regulation means that Minnesotans’ lives are less affordable. Public safety is ignored. They have even abandoned the commitment to make sure the public dollars they spend are actually helping people. This is not the DFL of our parents and grandparents.

The DFL Party has embraced a radical, extreme ideology that does not address the issues that Minnesota citizens care about. Minnesotans want good government, our laws enforced, a growing economy and a commitment to public safety. By recognizing these common values and priorities, we can join together even if we do not agree on everything.

My message to every Minnesotan — regardless of party — is that we can unite around these issues and improve our lives. If you are unhappy that Minnesota is lurching to the left; if you would like common sense and balanced leadership; if you reject the DFL’s veer toward socialism, this election is the opportunity to vote for the change we need.

To make groceries, gas and housing more affordable, we must take a hard look at government spending, choke out fraud, waste and abuse, make sure our energy, tax and regulatory policies encourage economic growth, and stop inflation.

To make our state safer, we must commit to enforcing our immigration laws and make sure we are not allowing crime, human trafficking and fentanyl over the border. We must work to encourage constructive immigration, not criminal activity and dependency on government programs that only raise costs on Minnesota families.

I’ve been a proud Minnesotan all my life. The problems we face can be constructively addressed, but not if we continue to embrace the radical agenda that now defines the DFL. I’m committed to bringing our shared values to Washington, focusing on the issues that unite us, and delivering results for Minnesota.