Two longtime Minnesota Democrats are voting for Republicans for the very first time this election. The newfound Republican voters, Margie Simon and Anthony Walsh, joined Liz Collin on her podcast to explain why.
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Simon grew up in a Democratic household and even started volunteering when she was five. She says this election, everything has changed for her.
“What we’re seeing the DFL-DSA party evolve into is one that focuses on ideology rather than expertise. So we’re getting a lot of people in offices who really aren’t experienced and lack the expertise to do what they’re doing,” Simon explained.
Simon, who also appeared on Liz Collin Reports back in April, reiterated that she’s had enough of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), which she believes is ruining the Democratic Party altogether.
“I’ve mentioned before, DSA member and Minneapolis City Council member Aisha Chughtai. She is the chair of the Budget Committee of the Minneapolis City Council. But not only does she not have a finance degree, and this is for a $2 billion budget, right? She doesn’t even have a college degree … we have a lot of people who just aren’t competent on the city council,” Simon pointed out.
She also spoke about how Democratic Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan “did nothing about the fraud, even though she was there for, what, eight years and could have.”
Meanwhile, Walsh discussed his concerns, his disappointment with the state’s current elected officials, and how Minnesota needs to take a different direction in the future.
He is a lifelong Minnesotan and a resident of Minneapolis. He’s also a former Hennepin County commissioner candidate, a father, and a youth hockey coach — and he will vote all Republicans on the ballot this time around.
“I think the taxes are a really big reason why — in Minneapolis, I’m a homeowner and from 2018 to 2026, taxes have gone up almost 65% and we have not seen growth in the city at all as far as job growth or population growth. So a lot of that burden falls on the homeowners, Walsh said.
“Crime has also gone up. We’ve seen that a lot happening, and I think that public safety really needs to be addressed and really handled,” he added.
Walsh is also concerned about affordability and accountability for all of the fraud in Minnesota.
“Speaker [Lisa] Demuth said that she was going to fire all the commissioners as far as that goes. Michele Tafoya said that billions doesn’t go out the door without people recognizing and knowing what is happening. And I could not agree more,” Walsh said.
“So, I speak for a lot of people I talk with as well about the current state of our state. In another five to 10 years of what we’re seeing now, we will not recognize the state that a lot of us have grown up in,” he added.
While Walsh and Simon expressed concerns about the future of Minnesota, Simon also talked about her long history with the Democratic Party.
Simon believes that the party is beyond repair and looked back on a picture of her brother shaking the hand of Hubert H. Humphrey, a Minnesotan and former vice president of the United States.
“He was a statesman, he knew what he was doing, he had a great ability to work across the aisle and to get so very much done,” Simon said.
“Now, with the DSA, remember a lot of them modeled themselves after Bernie Sanders’ ‘Our Revolution,'” Simon commented, referring to Sanders’ book.
“Well, even just that title, ‘Our Revolution,’ does that sound like a group that wants to collaborate with others? I don’t think so. And I think that’s what we’ve seen,” she added.
“As the DSA takes a more prominent role in the DFL, which is why I always call them DFL-DSA, because it is a dual thing at this point. And we just need to get back to really strong people running for office who are willing to collaborate,” said Simon.
Walsh also talked about how identity politics has harmed the DFL.
“I think it’s important to have the best people in those positions that are able to get that job done. And if they happen to be black, then that’s awesome as well,” he said.
“Socialism isn’t cool, communism isn’t cool, especially within the United States. We have a history of capitalism and it’s the greatest system — it might have some flaws here and there, but it brings a lot of people out of poverty,” Walsh added, noting that “Minnesota has gone in the wrong direction as far as embracing a lot of these ideas.”
“Minnesotans, please we gotta wake up,” Walsh concluded. “I think that we have the opportunity to really send a message to the rest of the country that fraud is unacceptable and that the buck does stop with our elected officials.”
Liz Collin
Liz Collin is a multi-Emmy-Award-winning investigative reporter, news anchor, and producer who cares about Minnesota. She is the producer of The Fall of Minneapolis and Minnesota v We the People documentary films, and author of the Amazon best-selling book, They’re Lying: The Media, the Left, and The Death of George Floyd. Her work has prompted important state laws. Yet perhaps most of all, Liz has been giving a voice to the truth—and helping others tell their stories—for more than 20 years.
Dr. JC Chaix
Dr. JC Chaix is an editor, educator, and an expert in media studies. He wrote and directed the Alpha News documentary "The Fall of Minneapolis" and "Minnesota v We the People."
