Republicans Support Exit But Demand Accountability
Minnesota Republicans in Congress welcomed Gov. Tim Walz’s decision to drop his bid for another term. Still, they said the move doesn’t erase what they describe as large scale fraud that happened while he was in office.
Rep. Michelle Fischbach said stepping away from the race was the only reasonable outcome. She argued that weak oversight turned Minnesota into a magnet for fraud and cost taxpayers billions.
Fraud Allegations Tie Into Walz’s Political Future
Walz first won the governor’s race in 2018 and then again in 2022. After a brief run on Kamala Harris’ presidential ticket in 2024, he later planned to seek a third term. That changed after new reports suggested Minnesota may have lost up to 9 billion dollars through abused public programs like daycare, health care and food assistance.
Rep. Pete Stauber said that ending the campaign doesn’t clear Walz of responsibility. He pointed to a spent budget surplus, higher taxes and new benefits for undocumented immigrants as examples of failed leadership. Stauber added that if Walz isn’t fit to run again, he shouldn’t still be governor.
Calls Grow for Oversight and Long Term Reform
Rep. Brad Finstad said the damage could take years to repair. He argued that Minnesota needs new leadership willing to root out waste and rebuild trust in state government.
Despite Walz’s announcement, Fischbach said Republicans will keep pushing investigations into fraud and mismanagement across state programs.
