By Dave Workman
Editor-in-Chief
Embattled Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, once an “A”-rated politician on gun rights and now an outspoken gun control proponent, has dropped his bid for a third term, amid what Fox News is calling “stinging criticism…of his state’s massive welfare assistance fraud scandal.”
The 2024 running mate of Democrat Kamala Harris, Walz tried to put a positive spin on his embarrassing predicament, explaining in a statement, “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.”
Walz is under fire over the welfare fraud scandal, which some estimates say has cost Minnesota $9 billion and has put the spotlight on the state’s large Somali community.
The Associated Press is reporting how Walz is attempting to blame President Donald Trump for his troubles. The news agency quotes Walz alleging, “Donald Trump and his allies – in Washington, in St. Paul, and online – want to make our state a colder, meaner place. They want to poison our people against each other by attacking our neighbors. And, ultimately, they want to take away much of what makes Minnesota the best place in America to raise a family.”
But Walz can’t blame Trump or Republicans for the political damage he’s caused to himself for what amounts to a 180-degree shift on guns. Instead of defending the Second Amendment, Walz has come out in support of a ban on so-called “assault weapons,” and in 2023, he signed several gun control measures including a “red flag” law, a bill requiring a permit-to-purchase a handgun or modern semi-auto rifle, and so-called “universal background checks.”
Recently, he could not get enough support to call a special session of the legislature to push more gun controls. Instead, he announced executive actions last month including the creation of a “safety council” to explore various gun control strategies.
Walz was aiming at a third term as Minnesota governor, but as the fraud scandal expands, it has become clear he was losing support with each new headline.
