Jeff Johnson's gubernatorial announcement

Back in March, former St. Cloud City Councilman Jeff Johnson announced that he's running to defeat Tim Walz and deny Gov. Walz a third term in office. In his announcement, Councilman Johnson said that Minnesota is facing a series of crises, each attributable to Gov. Walz's lack of leadership. There are lots of people who agree with that.

In Councilman Johnson's own words, "Walz still lacks a coherent plan for making Minnesota safe, growing Minnesota’s economy, and slowing the exodus of Minnesotans to other states. Minnesota is dealing with unprecedented murders, assaults, armed carjackings in broad daylight, riots, demoralized police forces, taxpayer fraud exceeding $600,000,000 and oppressively high taxes with more increases on the horizon. It’s obvious that Tim Walz has been involved in one train wreck after another, Johnson said."

Tim Walz can list lots of bills that he's signed. He can't say that he's signed bills that've made Minnesotans' livesetter. He said that he'd fully funded K-12 public schools. That's a nice soundbite but it's misleading. What's important is that most of the biggest school districts are running significant deficits. That's because the 2023 K-12 omnibus bill is filled with 65 unfunded mandates. That's how the DFL legislature and DFL instruct the school districts what they must do and what they can't do. Councilman Johnson then spoke about Minnesota's economy:

The Minnesota business climate is ice cold. “For quite some time, we’ve seen wealth flight to low tax states that keeps business regulations under control. Capital goes where it’s most welcome and it is clearly not welcome in Minnesota. Electrolux relocated from Minnesota to South Carolina and immediately proceeded to expand their operations. Governor Walz has not only failed to fix these problems, he has even touted Minnesota as a top state for business.

Minnesota isn't a top state for business. Passing the paid family leave bill left a raw taste in most small businesses' mouths. It isn't that they're opposed to paid family leave. It's that the bill that passed is heavily regulated. It's also interfered with by government. This report is from 2022 but it defines the outlines the basic framework of the bill that passed by the DFL Trifecta in 2023:

I've known Counciman Johnson for 20 years. He's the personification of a leader. He's spent time in both the public and private sector. He's even an inventor. Most importantly, he's spent his entire adult life in the public sector. He's never signed the front of the check. Gov. Walz is the personification of the opposite of leadership:

The governor’s highest priority is the safety of Minnesota citizens and visitors. " Tim Walz didn’t address the Minneapolis riot until the third day. Minneapolis needed a leader. Instead, it got Tim Walz. In the heat of the riot, Walz even denigrated the National Guard, saying ‘you’re gonna have 19-year old cooks."

This is a report from a Minneapolis business owner:

Jeff Johnson will protect our cities and our economy. He won't let government intrude where it isn't supposed to be. He's a principled conservative who isn't afraid of a good fight. Minnesota needs a principled conservative leader. Minnesota doesn't need Tim Walz.