Exclusive: MN GOP Chair Blasts Walz as Most ‘Hyper-Partisan’ Governor

The Walz-Harris ticket would bring a “serious setback” to the U.S. by implementing a radical left-wing agenda nationwide if elected, according to Minnesota’s GOP chairman, citing Gov. Tim Walz’s (D-MN) “hyper-partisan” and overly progressive record as a warning for the country.

With the 2024 election here, Minnesota Republican Party Chairman David Hann raised alarms over the potential impact of a Harris-Walz administration, warning that it would expand “extreme left” policies nationwide and worsen challenges in areas like the economy and immigration. 

“We hope, and are actively working to ensure, this doesn’t happen,” Hann said in an exclusive interview with Breitbart News on Monday, expressing concerns about high crime rates, economic challenges, and a growing partisan divide under Walz’s leadership.

Hann described the Democrat vice-presidential nominee’s record as a red flag for national governance, especially on issues of crime and economic policy. 

“He, and the Harris administration in general, would be a serious setback for the country,” Hann stated. “We would see a continuation of the kinds of policies we’ve gotten under President Biden, which have been economically negative.” 

“We also have problems with our border that would be exacerbated,” he added. “And in terms of foreign policy, the way that the Biden administration has handled it has not been helpful either.”

The chairman criticized Walz as “hyper-partisan,” alleging that he leveraged slim Democratic majorities in Minnesota’s legislature to push through “extreme left-leaning” policies. 

“Governor Walz has not governed the state in a very productive way. He’s been very, very partisan — hyper-partisan — maybe the most partisan governor that we’ve ever had in Minnesota,” Hann remarked, adding that Walz’s policies alienate the state’s moderate voters.

Citing Walz’s response to the 2020 Black Lives Matter riots as a turning point, Hann said the governor delayed deploying the National Guard “for political reasons,” which he argued contributed to ongoing crime issues. 

“It wasn’t until pressure was put on the governor politically to call the National Guard … Even the Democratic mayor of Minneapolis was trying to get him to do it, but he wouldn’t,” Hann stated, adding that Minneapolis continues to see high crime rates and school district struggles in the wake of those riots.

Hann warned that Walz’s policies on sanctuary cities, lenient law enforcement, and public spending could be a “drag” on the Harris ticket and a potential liability for Democrats nationally. 

“I’d say [Walz’s] policies are certainly further left than Joe Biden,” he said. “And when you have legislative majorities that were won by a few hundred votes, to push through real party-line, extreme policies … I think it’s devastating. It doesn’t bring about confidence in government.”

Hann expressed surprise that Harris even chose Walz as her running mate, interpreting it as a sign that Democrats believe Minnesota is “in play.” He noted that initial polls showed Harris’s lead over former President Donald Trump narrowed after Walz joined the ticket. 

“We haven’t seen enthusiasm for Walz. He has been pretty much absent in the campaign,” Hann explained, emphasizing that independent voters in Minnesota favor GOP control of the state House.

As the GOP aims to secure at least one chamber of Minnesota’s legislature, Hann remains hopeful that both state and national voters will opt for a new direction on Election Day. 

He concluded by warning that, under a Harris-Walz administration, the country would see the kinds of extreme partisan policies that have caused real harm in Minnesota — but on a “national level.”

The matter comes amid growing concerns that the Walz-Harris ticket may be far more radical than it appears, with deep connections to far-left progressive and socialist movements hinting at a potential shift toward more extreme policy positions if the Democrats are elected.  

Walz’s political journey is rooted in his involvement with a progressive training camp inspired by the radical vision of Paul Wellstone, a professor-turned-politician with close ties to the Democratic Socialists of America and strong influences from Marxist figures and extreme far-left ideologies.

In September, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) posited that Vice President Kamala Harris adjusted her positions to be “pragmatic” in order to “win the election” during an interview on NBC’s Meet the Press, maintaining that she has not abandoned her progressive ideals.