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Tim Walz was a Democratic hopeful. Now, he’s a Republican punching bag.
The Washington Post ^ | January 3, 2026 | Caroline O'Donovan and Hannah Knowles

Posted on 01/03/2026 9:50:55 AM PST by MinorityRepublican

Just a few months ago, Larissa Laramee would have encouraged Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to run for president. She admired the man who helped lead the Democratic presidential ticket in 2024 — and who once taught her social studies.

But Laramee’s feelings have changed as a years-long welfare fraud probe in Minnesota becomes a national maelstrom. Prosecutors say scammers stole brazenly from safety net programs, taking hundreds of millions of dollars in government funding — potentially billions — for services they never provided while Walz led the state.

“I like him as a person. He’s fantastic,” said Laramee, 40, who works at a Minnesota nonprofit for people with disabilities. Walz, as her high school teacher, helped inspire her career, she said. “But with all of this that’s happened, I’m struggling with seeing a path forward for him.”

Laramee’s doubts show how the sprawling fraud cases in Minnesota now hang over Walz — even as it’s too soon to tell how they will ultimately affect his political future. A year and a half after he vaulted onto the national stage as Kamala Harris’s running mate, Walz is back in the spotlight, this time for a controversy that Republicans around the country view as political gold.

Republicans are betting the fraud saga will hurt Walz, a staunch liberal and potential 2028 presidential candidate who is seeking a third term as governor this year. GOP officials say it will be one of their top campaign issues in Minnesota as they try to reverse many years of statewide losses and navigate through tough national headwinds in the midterms.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Government; Humor; Politics
KEYWORDS: bluefalcontimmy; bulbheads; carolineodonovan; copperheads; democrappropaganda; democratpropaganda; hannahknowles; republicanspounce; scamolis; timpon; walz
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1 posted on 01/03/2026 9:50:55 AM PST by MinorityRepublican
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To: MinorityRepublican

a self admitted knucklehead


2 posted on 01/03/2026 9:51:53 AM PST by xp38
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To: MinorityRepublican

He’s a damn criminal and should be locked up for the rest of his miserable life.


3 posted on 01/03/2026 9:52:56 AM PST by fortes fortuna juvat (TDS: Triggered in 2016 when the MAGA King killed the Queen of the Lunatic Left.)
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To: MinorityRepublican

Democrats have perverted the language to their advantage. They call themselves Democratic and they co opted the color of blue.


4 posted on 01/03/2026 9:54:48 AM PST by webheart (Notice how I said all of that without any hyphens, and only complete words? )
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To: webheart

Instead of calling them Democrats, we should label them as “Communists”.


5 posted on 01/03/2026 9:56:40 AM PST by MinorityRepublican
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To: webheart

A hopefull? About as hopeful as Kamala.


6 posted on 01/03/2026 9:56:44 AM PST by DIRTYSECRET
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To: fortes fortuna juvat
👍👍👍

(Tim Walz was a Democratic hopeful. Now, he’s a Republican punching bag.)

Democrat Timmy Walz brought it on himself, Washington Commie Post

(Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on Tuesday pinned blame on
President Trump following the most recent reports
of massive fraud in his state.)

I keep saying......



7 posted on 01/03/2026 9:57:38 AM PST by SaveFerris (Luke 17:28 ... as it was in the Days of Lot; They did Eat, They Drank, They Bought, They Sold ......)
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To: MinorityRepublican

Republicans pounce !


8 posted on 01/03/2026 9:57:42 AM PST by Steely Tom ([Voter Fraud] == [Civil War])
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To: MinorityRepublican
“. . . even as it's too soon to tell how they will ultimately affect his (Walz) political future.”

What political future?

Are there democrats seriously suggesting he has a national political future? Democrats would be better off nominating one of the Bidens - Joe, Jill, or Hunter.

9 posted on 01/03/2026 10:02:05 AM PST by jeffersondem
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To: MinorityRepublican

Now?!? He’s been a punching bag his whole life.


10 posted on 01/03/2026 10:04:13 AM PST by IYAS9YAS (There are two kinds of people: Those who can extrapolate from incomplete data.)
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To: jeffersondem
Are there democrats seriously suggesting he has a national political future?

They may double down. I haven't heard of him losing support in Minnesota among Democrats.

11 posted on 01/03/2026 10:04:48 AM PST by MinorityRepublican
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To: MinorityRepublican

Why would you like a guy as a person who repeatedly lies, runs from being called to duty, and is incompetent?


12 posted on 01/03/2026 10:06:47 AM PST by alternatives?
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To: MinorityRepublican

BUahahahahahaha!

Fogedaboud Republican punching bag !

Tampon Tim is now a Democrat punching bag !


13 posted on 01/03/2026 10:08:24 AM PST by Candor7 (Ask not for whom the Trump Trolls,He trolls for thee!<img src="" width=500</img><a href="">tag</a>) )
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To: MinorityRepublican

“Democrat Hopeful” LOL- WP spreading it on thick


14 posted on 01/03/2026 10:08:47 AM PST by Bob434 (Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana)
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To: MinorityRepublican

If tampons in boys bathrooms didn’t clearly illustrate an idiot, the Somalis daycare and other social services scams clearly presented Walz, Ohmar, and the missions of the left for what they truly are.


15 posted on 01/03/2026 10:13:45 AM PST by blackdog (The philosophy of the schoolroom in one generation will be the philosophy of government in the next.)
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To: Steely Tom

I pounced! And I pounced again! Great googly moogly!


16 posted on 01/03/2026 10:17:57 AM PST by Flash Bazbeaux
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To: MinorityRepublican

I call them the Democrat criminal enterprise.


17 posted on 01/03/2026 10:22:20 AM PST by cgbg ("Your identity is how power treats you.")
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To: xp38

Another knucklehead in the woman quoted here. He never had a chance of getting the 2028 nomination. His base doesn’t hold goofiness against their candidates. See Crockett, Jasmine, and a host of others. But male, white and (nominally) straight are disqualifying, when there are so many “diverse” choices on offer. I don’t think Newsom will make it for the same reason


18 posted on 01/03/2026 10:24:23 AM PST by j.havenfarm (25 years on Free Republic, 12/10/25! More than 12,750 replies and still not shutting up!)
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To: All

19 posted on 01/03/2026 10:29:56 AM PST by Liz (Jonathan Swift: Government without the consent of the governed is the very definition of slavery.)
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To: MinorityRepublican

After the way Vance disassembled the moron, the democrats think he could be a nominee?

Well, they think Occasional Cortex is a genius, so.......


20 posted on 01/03/2026 10:30:39 AM PST by doorgunner69
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