Former Minnesota Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka (R) has come out swinging against Governor Tim Walz (D-MN), Vice President Kamala Harris’s running mate, criticizing his leadership skills and fiscal responsibility.
In an interview with Fox News, Gazelka expressed his concerns about Walz’s ability to handle crisis situations, citing his response to the 2020 Minneapolis riots as a prime example. According to Gazelka, Walz failed to take action when Mayor Jacob Frey requested assistance from the National Guard.
“The mayor of Minneapolis asked for help, and the governor just sat on his hands,” Gazelka said. “He froze. He didn’t do anything.”
Gazelka’s criticism is not unfounded, as Mayor Frey himself has publicly blamed Walz for failing to respond to calls for help during the riots.
Gazelka also took aim at Walz’s spending habits, saying that he has “no sense of what the value of a dollar is” and that he spends money recklessly, leading to debt.
Watch below or click here if you’re on the app.
These criticisms come at a time when Walz is facing intense scrutiny over his military service. His biography on his website had previously claimed that he was a retired command sergeant major, but this was later removed and updated to reflect that he had only served at that rank.
Walz has also faced criticism for claiming to have served in war, despite not having seen combat. The Harris campaign has since issued a statement saying that Walz “misspoke”.
Additionally, reports have surfaced that Walz left the military before his unit deployed to Iraq, despite being aware of the possibility of deployment. This has led to accusations of “stolen valor” and further eroded trust in Walz’s leadership abilities.
