Rural Minnesotans Express Frustration with Gov. Walz's Policies

Despite Gov. Tim Walz's selection as Vice President Kamala Harris' running mate, rural Minnesotans remain critical of his policies, citing concerns about small businesses, rural development, and his handling of social unrest.

At the annual "Farmfest" agricultural trade show in Redwood County, Minnesota, rural residents shared their dissatisfaction with the policies of Democratic Governor Tim Walz, who has recently been tapped as Vice President Kamala Harris' running mate in the 2024 presidential election.

Matthew A., a Minnesota farmer who raises corn and soybeans with his family, expressed his frustration with Walz's governance. "He's done very little to help rural Minnesota," Matthew A. told Fox News Digital. "We joke that we're mini California. Most of us, if we could, we would annex into South Dakota. He's put policies in place that have hurt small businesses. I have friends that have lost small businesses because of his policies. It's killing our small towns, our rural development."

Rural Minnesotans Express Frustration with Gov. Walz's Policies

Matthew A. also criticized Walz's response to the unrest in Minneapolis in 2020. "He point-blank said we're just rocks and cows out here, and he has done very little to help us. And honestly, a man that can sit and let a city burn to the ground and not do anything about it like he did in 2020, that's no integrity. And he … doesn't deserve any vote."

Another Minnesota resident, Dan Fedders, described the Harris-Walz ticket as "very liberal." "I think they're a great team, the two of them together. God bless them," Fedders said. "But they're not going to have a chance at all. In my opinion, he is just about as far liberal as she is. And I think most of the people in Minnesota are happy about it because he might leave or at least be gone for a period of time."

Rural Minnesotans Express Frustration with Gov. Walz's Policies

A local resident who requested anonymity criticized Walz's policies and leadership style. "Governor Walz has been, I think, a disaster for Minnesota," the resident told Fox News Digital. "He has no more time for rural America. I think as a potential leader right now, he's showing a lot of disdain for his opponents, the way he's addressing them. It might be the way the game is played, but it's not the way that I want to see our leaders act. It just hasn't been good for Minnesota."

Another farmer and local restaurant owner, who also wished to remain anonymous, echoed these sentiments. "He's been bad for the state. There's no other way to say it," the farmer said. "He has hurt this state more than he's helped it."

Rural Minnesotans Express Frustration with Gov. Walz's Policies

Walz's policies have focused on sustainability and biofuels, but these efforts have not found broad support in rural areas. "Farmfest" is considered the largest gathering of farmers and agriculturalists in Walz's home turf, and the critical comments from attendees highlight the divide between his policies and the needs of rural Minnesotans.

Fox News Digital attempted to reach the Harris-Walz campaign for comment but did not receive a response.

Rural Minnesotans Express Frustration with Gov. Walz's Policies

As the 2024 presidential election approaches, it remains to be seen whether Walz's unpopularity in rural Minnesota will have an impact on the Harris-Walz ticket's chances of success.