State Republican Party Chair Jennifer Carnahan says Governor Tim Walz, while preparing to address the federal shutdown’s impact on Minnesota’s budget, “is not listening to Minnesotans who are calling on their elected officials to secure our border.” Carahan says it’s time for Walz to listen to constituents and tell Democratic friends in Washington to “come back to the table and stop putting our national security at risk.” Walz says it’s fine if policymakers want to debate a border wall, but don’t jeopardize Food Stamps and other programs. “People’s health care and their well-being is not ‘leverage,'” he says. “It’s real.”
Walz administration officials say the state has been providing funds to prevent disruption of some federal programs, but if the shutdown continues, the Minnesota Legislature might have to make stopgap appropriations.