Happy New Year 2025

Tag: Minnesota

Walz is back in Minnesota with $1M in the bank and ‘wants the national spotlight’

Gov. Tim Walz returned home from the campaign trail to a divided state legislature. Minnesota’s public perception of the former vice presidential Democratic nominee is just as split.

Walz ended 2024 with over $1 million in campaign cash, year-end campaign finance reports show. The blue wall state governor raised the bulk of those funds before joining Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential ticket, where he wore his camo hats and middle-class status as a badge of honor.

Walz has not formally announced whether he will seek a third term for governor but said he will likely make a decision this summer. A spokesperson said Walz is focused on leading a split state legislature in the meantime.

“Regardless of the chaos unfolding in Washington, D.C., Governor Walz will continue working with Republicans and Democrats at the State Capitol to balance the budget and make Minnesota the best state to live, work, and raise a family,” Walz’s spokesperson said in a statement.

TIM WALZ SAYS LOSING PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IS ‘PURE HELL,’ ADMITS DEMS ARE ‘FATIGUED’ IN MSNBC INTERVIEW

The Democratic vice presidential nominee, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, speaks at Laborfest on Sept. 2, 2024, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Jim Vondruska/Getty Images)

While Walz says he is committed to working across the aisle, Minnesota’s state house has spent weeks at a standstill. Republicans proposed a recall of their Democratic colleagues for failing to show up to work.

“They technically had the organizational majority to kick off on Jan. 14 when we began our legislative session,” Republican state Sen. Mark Koran said. “The Democrats refused to. They held a special swearing-in ceremony in secret for their 66 members, and then they’ve refused for over three weeks now to show up to the Minnesota House to organize, so they can do business.”

MINNESOTA LAWMAKER SOUNDS ALARM ON GOV WALZ’S ‘RADICAL AGENDA’ AHEAD OF ELECTION: ‘SO HEINOUS’

GOP state Sen. Mark Koran told Fox News Digital that Gov. Tim Walz’s agenda is not in line with Minnesota voters. (Getty Images)

Koran said Walz has been missing in action, telling Fox Digital that the governor is anything but bipartisan.

“He is nonexistent as far as the Democrats holding this hostage,” Koran said. “He’s not taking a leadership role. I can tell you about the only thing he does in a bipartisan manner is he doesn’t work with Republicans or Democrats, and so he’s very isolated and doesn’t meet with anybody.”

Walz defended Minnesota Democrats for boycotting their legislative session in an interview with FOX 9 KMSP, elevating the state conflict to the national level by taking aim at DOGE’s ongoing federal layoffs.

“We are not going to allow you to do what we’re seeing at the federal level. You are not going to go in and fire state employees. You are not going to take power in a short-term window of gap. That’s not what the voters voted for,” Walz said.

Gov. Tim Walz takes the stage at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Aug. 21, 2024. (Reuters/Brendan Mcdermid)

Minnesota Republicans told Fox Digital that controversies on the campaign trail have tarnished his reputation back home. Walz’s background dominated headlines this summer; over claims of “stolen valor” for inconsistencies describing his military service, saying he “misspoke” when he said he visited Hong Kong during the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests, and over his family’s in vitro fertilization story that never was. Walz laughed off the missteps, calling himself a “knucklehead.”

“The average Minnesotans didn’t really know who Tim Walz was,” retired Minnesota State Patrol Lt. John Nagel told Fox Digital. “With running for vice president, people suddenly realized this guy is not who so many of us thought he was. He’s not this happy grandpa teacher that wears plaid. He is an individual that wants to keep his power. He’s lied to make himself look better.

“Walz’s ego is bruised,” Nagel added. “He is not happy that he’s not walking around as vice president.”

Nagel and Koran agreed the national reporting during the presidential campaign made Minnesotans think twice about Walz.

“I think Minnesotans should reject his political agenda, just as the nation did. He came back extraordinarily damaged. The Democrats are going to take him out within his own party, likely in the next gubernatorial primary. There’s a Senate seat open in Minnesota. He wants the national spotlight. At the end of the day, if he has nothing else, I think he’ll be running for governor again,” Koran said.

Ken Martin speaks after being elected chairman of the Democratic National Committee in National Harbor, Maryland, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)

Newly elected DNC Chair Ken Martin, former chair of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) Party, said in a statement that Republicans “have tried to tear down Governor Walz” but the governor has maintained the trust of Minnesota voters by delivering key progressive policy.

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“Partisan Republicans have tried to tear down Governor Walz, but the support and trust that he has earned from Minnesotans has endured,” Martin said. “From free school meals to paid family leave, the working-class agenda that Governor Walz and DFL leaders have championed enjoys strong support from a clear majority of Minnesotans. Our party is ready to fight with Governor Walz to lower costs while protecting critical investments in our schools and the programs that support working families.”

Deirdre Heavey is a politics writer for Fox News Digital.

February 6, 2025
Minnesota GOP takes control of House after Dems’ weekslong boycott, pledges to ‘check’ Walz’s ‘extreme’ agenda

Republicans in Minnesota’s progressive-dominated government have notched a temporary majority in the House through a power-sharing agreement reached Thursday after Democrats refused to show up to work for several weeks.

“So, 23 days as of yesterday, none of the Democrats have come into work,” Republican leader and now House Speaker Lisa Demuth told Fox News Digital in an interview Thursday. “They completely boycotted the session and prevented the work from getting started here in Minnesota.”

The arrangement comes after a weeks-long saga beginning in December 2024 when a district court judge ruled that Democratic House Rep.-elect Curtis Johnson did not meet the residency requirements to represent Minnesota House District 40B, rendering him ineligible to take office.

The decision temporarily tipped the balance of power in the Minnesota House, giving Republicans a 67-66 majority until a special election could be held.

‘SCARED’ AND ‘TRAUMATIZED’: WALZ’S SUPPORT FOR TRANS WOMEN IN MINNESOTA WOMEN’S PRISON ‘ENDANGERING’ INMATES

Minnesota state Republicans will have the “advantage” after a power-sharing agreement was reached Thursday. (Getty Images/Minnesota)

Gov. Tim Walz announced Wednesday a special election will be held on Tuesday, March 11, which could bring back a 67-67 tie.

As such, House Democrats boycotted the legislative session beginning Jan. 14, protesting what they perceived as an “abuse of power” by Republicans attempting to leverage their temporary majority to advance their policies. This stalemate effectively denied the House the quorum needed to conduct official business, leading to the state GOP threatening Democratic lawmakers with recall efforts.

Demuth said the organizational agreement reached with Democrats taking effect when the Minnesota House convenes Thursday afternoon ensures she will serve as the Republican speaker for a full two-year term, regardless of the outcome of the upcoming special election.

Currently, with a 67-66 Republican majority, the GOP holds committee chair positions and a one-vote advantage on all committees. If the election results in a 67-67 tie, committee leadership will be shared between Republicans and Democrats, alternating control over schedules and agendas. The Fraud Prevention and Agency Oversight Committee will remain under Republican control, with a 5-3 GOP majority, for the full two-year period, she said.

“We definitely have an advantage,” Demuth said. “And I think it’s important to recognize that the reason that there is a special election that needed to be called is because the Democrats had a candidate that lied and cheated and couldn’t take office.”

WALZ EDUCATION APPOINTEE WHO CALLED FOR THE US GOVERNMENT TO BE ‘OVERTHROWN’ UNDER GOP FIRE: ‘INSURRECTION’

Gov. Tim Walz “has not contacted” Republican state legislative leaders during the long stalemate and been “very partisan” in his dealings overall, Minnesota Republicans claim. ( Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Demuth said Republicans – who have been gaveled in by the state secretary every day despite the stalemate – are looking forward to addressing the state’s budget and other key issues once lawmakers convene Thursday.

“We need to stop the fraud in the state of Minnesota,” Demuth said. “And according to test scores, our test results for our K-12 education, specifically in fourth and eighth grade, continue to plummet under the leadership of Gov. Walz, and so [the Democrats] have prevented all of that work to even begin.”

Demuth criticized the governor for his lack of engagement during the legislative standoff, noting that “he has not contacted me at all as caucus leader during this time.” She said he issued a press statement suggesting that “Republicans need to start working with Democrats,” but argued that his statement was “very partisan” and ultimately “a disservice to Minnesotans.”

MN GOP VOWS RECALL EFFORTS AS DEM LAWMAKERS THREATEN TO SKIP WORK FOR TWO WEEKS

Minnesota House Republicans say they are committed to being a check on the power and policy priorities of liberal Democratic Gov. Tim Walz. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

“Minnesotans need us to do the work. It’s not Republican or Democrat, but when you have a party that stayed out to prevent the work, you have a governor that isn’t even encouraging his own party to show back up, he’s really doing a disservice to the people of Minnesota,” said Demuth, whom the Minnesota Star Tribune noted becomes the state’s first Black House speaker.

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During the first week of the Democrats’ boycott, Walz told lawmakers, “Just work together on a power-sharing agreement,” the AP reported. “That’s the way it’s going to end up. And I think that can work out really well.”

The Republican State Leadership Committee provided a statement to Fox News Digital in which it congratulated Demuth for securing the House leadership role, adding in part, “Voters have made it clear they want Minnesota House Republicans to be a strong check on Tim Walz and his extreme liberal agenda.”

Fox News Digital has reached out to Walz’s office and the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party for comment.

Jamie Joseph is a writer who covers politics. She leads Fox News Digital coverage of the Senate.

February 6, 2025
Minnesota Republicans notch deal securing temporary majority after Dems refused to show up for work

Republicans in Minnesota’s progressive-dominated government have notched a temporary majority in the House through a power-sharing agreement reached Thursday after Democrats refused to show up to work for several weeks.

“So, 23 days as of yesterday, none of the Democrats have come into work,” Republican leader and now House Speaker Lisa Demuth told Fox News Digital in an interview Thursday. “They completely boycotted the session and prevented the work from getting started here in Minnesota.”

The arrangement comes after a weeks-long saga beginning in December 2024 when a district court judge ruled that Democratic House Rep.-elect Curtis Johnson did not meet the residency requirements to represent Minnesota House District 40B, rendering him ineligible to take office.

The decision temporarily tipped the balance of power in the Minnesota House, giving Republicans a 67-66 majority until a special election could be held.

‘SCARED’ AND ‘TRAUMATIZED’: WALZ’S SUPPORT FOR TRANS WOMEN IN MINNESOTA WOMEN’S PRISON ‘ENDANGERING’ INMATES

Minnesota state Republicans will have the “advantage” after a power-sharing agreement was reached Thursday. (Getty Images/Minnesota)

Gov. Tim Walz announced Wednesday a special election will be held on Tuesday, March 11, which could bring back a 67-67 tie.

As such, House Democrats boycotted the legislative session beginning Jan. 14, protesting what they perceived as an “abuse of power” by Republicans attempting to leverage their temporary majority to advance their policies. This stalemate effectively denied the House the quorum needed to conduct official business, leading to the state GOP threatening Democratic lawmakers with recall efforts.

Demuth said the organizational agreement reached with Democrats taking effect when the Minnesota House convenes Thursday afternoon ensures she will serve as the Republican speaker for a full two-year term, regardless of the outcome of the upcoming special election.

Currently, with a 67-66 Republican majority, the GOP holds committee chair positions and a one-vote advantage on all committees. If the election results in a 67-67 tie, committee leadership will be shared between Republicans and Democrats, alternating control over schedules and agendas. The Fraud Prevention and Agency Oversight Committee will remain under Republican control, with a 5-3 GOP majority, for the full two-year period, she said.

“We definitely have an advantage,” Demuth said. “And I think it’s important to recognize that the reason that there is a special election that needed to be called is because the Democrats had a candidate that lied and cheated and couldn’t take office.”

WALZ EDUCATION APPOINTEE WHO CALLED FOR THE US GOVERNMENT TO BE ‘OVERTHROWN’ UNDER GOP FIRE: ‘INSURRECTION’

Gov. Tim Walz “has not contacted” Republican state legislative leaders during the long stalemate and been “very partisan” in his dealings overall, Minnesota Republicans claim. ( Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Demuth said Republicans – who have been gaveled in by the state secretary every day despite the stalemate – are looking forward to addressing the state’s budget and other key issues once lawmakers convene Thursday.

“We need to stop the fraud in the state of Minnesota,” Demuth said. “And according to test scores, our test results for our K-12 education, specifically in fourth and eighth grade, continue to plummet under the leadership of Gov. Walz, and so [the Democrats] have prevented all of that work to even begin.”

Demuth criticized the governor for his lack of engagement during the legislative standoff, noting that “he has not contacted me at all as caucus leader during this time.” She said he issued a press statement suggesting that “Republicans need to start working with Democrats,” but argued that his statement was “very partisan” and ultimately “a disservice to Minnesotans.”

MN GOP VOWS RECALL EFFORTS AS DEM LAWMAKERS THREATEN TO SKIP WORK FOR TWO WEEKS

Minnesota House Republicans say they are committed to being a check on the power and policy priorities of liberal Democratic Gov. Tim Walz. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

“Minnesotans need us to do the work. It’s not Republican or Democrat, but when you have a party that stayed out to prevent the work, you have a governor that isn’t even encouraging his own party to show back up, he’s really doing a disservice to the people of Minnesota,” said Demuth, whom the Minnesota Star Tribune noted becomes the state’s first Black House speaker.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

During the first week of the Democrats’ boycott, Walz told lawmakers, “Just work together on a power-sharing agreement,” the AP reported. “That’s the way it’s going to end up. And I think that can work out really well.”

The Republican State Leadership Committee provided a statement to Fox News Digital in which it congratulated Demuth for securing the House leadership role, adding in part, “Voters have made it clear they want Minnesota House Republicans to be a strong check on Tim Walz and his extreme liberal agenda.”

Fox News Digital has reached out to Walz’s office and the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party for comment.

Jamie Joseph is a writer who covers politics. She leads Fox News Digital coverage of the Senate.

February 6, 2025
WalletHub study finds Florida, Minnesota ideal to retire in, plus Colorado and Wyoming

FOX Business’ Ashley Webster talks to diners in The Villages in Florida about retirement after a Northwestern Mutual survey claims it will take $1.46 million to retire comfortably.

Looking to retire, but not crazy about living in Florida? Financial analysts recently put together a study highlighting the best states in which to retire.

Personal finance company WalletHub recently published a research summary determining which U.S. states are the best to retire in 2025.

While Florida remains a popular retirement location, the study found that four other states — one Midwestern and three Western — were also ideal locations.

The study, Best and Worst States to Retire, prioritized three key categories: affordability, quality of life and healthcare. A total of 46 relevant metrics were used, and analysts weighed the population of senior citizens per state and the adjusted costs of living heavily.

Here are the results of WalletHub’s study, in order of the worst to best states in which to retire:

WalletHub analyzed every U.S. state to determine which were best to retire in and found a Midwestern state ranked second. (iStock / Getty Images)

STUDY RANKS US STATES WITH MOST FINANCIALLY-DISTRESSED RESIDENTS — SEE THE LIST

50. Kentucky

49. Louisiana

48. Mississippi

47. Washington

46. New Mexico

45. New Jersey

44. Rhode Island

43. West Virginia

42. Arkansas

41. Hawaii

40. Indiana

39. Oregon

38. Tennessee

37. Alabama

36. Maryland

35. New York

34. Illinois

33. Oklahoma

32. George

31. Kansas

30. Arizona

29. Connecticut

28. Nevada

27. Nebraska

26. Texas

25. Michigan

24. Idaho

23. Massachusetts

Affordability was considered a key metric of the study. (iStock / iStock)

22. Montana

21. California

20. South Carolina

19. Ohio

18. Utah

17. Vermont

16. Iowa

15. Maine

THESE US AIRPORTS RANK HIGHEST FOR CUSTOMER SATISFACTION

14. Alaska

13. Missouri

12. North Carolina

11. Virginia

10. Wisconsin

9. North Dakota

8. Delaware

7. New Hampshire

6. Pennsylvania

5. South Dakota

4. Wyoming

3. Colorado

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Florida ranked high on WalletHub’s list of best states to retire in. (iStock / iStock)

2. Minnesota

1. Florida

While the Sunshine State still reigns as the best state to retire in, the other four top states – one Midwestern and three Western – may be surprising.

Analysts found that Minnesota’s health resources made it an attractive state to retire in.

“Minnesota has the most health care facilities, the second-most nursing homes, and the third-most home health care aids per capita,” the study said. “Its geriatrics hospitals also rank as the fifth-best in the nation.

“Due to the great health care conditions within the state, Minnesota has the third-lowest percentage of seniors with a disability, the fourth-lowest percentage with poor mental health, and the fifth-highest percentage who are in good physical health.”

For more Lifestyle articles, visit foxbusiness.com/lifestyle.

WalletHub noted that Colorado has no inheritance or estate tax, making it an attractive option for retirees. (iStock / iStock)

WalletHub said Colorado was a “great state for retirees’ physical and mental health,” and noted the lack of estate and inheritance taxes there.

“It has one of the lowest rates of social isolation for seniors, and it boasts the 10th-best geriatrics hospitals in the country,” the study said of the Centennial State. “It also has the fourth-highest percentage of seniors who are in good health and the third-highest percentage who are physically active.”

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Researchers also found Wyoming ranked highly for quality of life and affordability, though it ranked relatively low for healthcare. South Dakota was the opposite, having slightly above-average quality of life and affordability scores but rating highly on healthcare.

January 30, 2025