Michele Tafoya blames George Floyd riots as 'turning point' for Minnesota downfall under Tim Walz

Senate candidate Michele Tafoya says Minnesota isn’t the "paradise" it used to be, arguing Gov. Tim Walz’s response to the riots following George Floyd's death made residents embarrassed of their home state.

"When the George Floyd riots happened, which was really a turning point in Minnesota, [Walz] didn't do anything for days," Tafoya said on the "Planet Tyrus" podcast. "If people remember, the governor was nowhere."

Tafoya, a former NFL sideline reporter, is currently running for a U.S. Senate seat in Minnesota. She characterized Walz's behavior during the 2020 unrest following George Floyd's death as part of a pattern of "incompetence" that she claims led the state into decline.

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Floyd’s death ignited a nationwide reckoning as multiple cities saw protests, with some devolving into violence and looting. In Minneapolis, where Floyd was killed, rioters set fire to the city's Third Police Precinct.

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Tafoya argued Walz "let the police station burn down" and "kept police officers from doing their jobs and protecting people here in Minnesota."

At the time, Walz was criticized for what some saw as hesitation to send in the National Guard to calm the situation. However, the governor has consistently defended the state’s response.

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"I’m proud of Minnesota’s response; I’m proud of Minnesota’s first responders who were out there, from firefighters to police to the National Guard, to citizens that were out there," Walz said during a previous gubernatorial debate, as reported by the Associated Press.

But Tafoya disagrees, arguing that the handling of the riots tarnished the reputation of the state. She said many Minnesotans no longer feel pride in their state.

"They're kind of embarrassed to say where they're from. And that's really sad, because honestly, we used to brag about being Minnesotans," she said.

Tafoya also criticized Walz over the fraud scandal that has rocked the state in recent months, involving an estimated billions in estimated lost taxpayer funds. She accused the governor of allowing the theft to happen under his watch, saying he has "overseen the complete destruction of a once great state."

Walz addressed the fraud allegations during a March House Oversight Committee hearing. He told lawmakers, "I’m going to prosecute every single person that’s involved in fraud, but we can’t do it alone."

He then argued that the federal government’s focus on Minnesota was part of "political retribution at an unparalleled scale."