Minnesota GOP leader warns against Walz's attempt to deceive rural voters: "Bernie Sanders in flannel"

The Republican Party chair of a rural county in central Minnesota is criticizing the media narrative that Gov. Tim Walz is a "moderate" and claims that rural voters are being misled by this label.

"As a state college educator and chair of the Crow Wing County GOP in Brainerd, Minnesota, Lowell Smith has a message for rural people and anyone else watching: you are being deceived," Planet Chronicle Digital reported.

"You are being deceived. He is lying to you. He does not support rural America. He only cares about policies that benefit the wealthy elite. He is not for us. He is essentially. You may not recall who said it, but he truly is. Bernie Sanders and flannel. They are attempting to present him as someone who is not as liberal as he truly is. He opposes the Second Amendment. He does not support rural America."

Smith stated, "Governor Walz's values do not align with much of rural Minnesota or rural America. Although he initially ran as a moderate, his policies have been ultra-liberal since his election, which has not reflected his moderate stance. As a result, it made perfect sense for Kamala Harris to choose him as her running mate."

Smith stated to Planet Chronicle Digital that when he communicates with rural voters in Minnesota, they are extremely upset about Walz's decision to allow the state to burn for four days during the George Floyd riots in 2020, resulting in hundreds of millions of dollars in damage.

Smith criticized the Democrats in Minnesota for squandering a $17 billion surplus under Walz's leadership, citing the tax policy and business climate under his administration.

In October 2023, the Tax Foundation published its State Business Tax Climate Index for 2024, ranking Minnesota 44th in the country for its tax climate for businesses.

In January, a study by the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy revealed that Minnesota's tax system is the most progressive among all states, except for the District of Columbia.

"In Minnesota, we value our neighbors' privacy and personal choices, even if we don't agree with them," Walz stated in his introduction as Vice President Harris's running mate. "As long as they're making their own choices, we should respect their decisions."

Rural voters in Minnesota are critical of Walz's COVID record, which has been widely criticized by Republicans, according to Smith's statement to Planet Chronicle Digital.

"Smith stated that his policies did not align with that viewpoint. He established a tip line for reporting neighbors who did not wear masks or kept their businesses open, resulting in civil fines."

"In rural Minnesota, we don't believe in family members spying on each other like in communist times."

Smith stated to Planet Chronicle Digital that residents in his county refer to Walz as "Tampon Tim" due to his transgender policies, such as allowing menstrual products in school bathrooms. Democrats have criticized this line of attack, but Smith claims that Walz has made Minnesota a "sanctuary state" for transgender issues.

""Minnesota has become a sanctuary state for transgender minors from Iowa, South Dakota, and North Dakota, allowing them to receive transgender surgery and healthcare without their parents' consent or knowledge. This goes against our values up here in Minnesota," Smith stated."

A local business in Royalton, Minnesota, put up a sign on Highway 10 that criticizes Governor Walz's policies, with a picture of his head inserted in his rear end and the message "Gov. Walz, Northern MN is trying to see things from your point of view. Sponsored by Rocks & Cows of the North."

The Trump campaign has seized on a comment made by Walz in 2017 about rural America, but some say it was taken out of context.

Smith was asked by Planet Chronicle Digital about the main concerns of rural voters in his county during the November election.

"Smith stated that the top three concerns for the nation are the budget, the economy, and crime control. The economy is not looking promising, and crime is rampant in most democratically controlled areas, making people feel unsafe in their neighborhoods and homes."

"The three most common concerns among people in our county are the control of the border, the threat of massive floods, and the invasion of our country by other nations."

The Harris Walz campaign did not respond to Planet Chronicle Digital's request for comment.