Minnesota Senate and gubernatorial candidates target fraud and taxes in final Moorhead push

Republican U.S. Senate candidate Michele Tafoya and GOP gubernatorial candidate Lisa Demuth campaigned in Moorhead on Thursday. The event took place five days before the November 3 election. Both candidates placed fraud reduction and tax relief at the center of their final messaging.

Tafoya met with local leaders on Thursday to discuss business and family costs. She stated that regulation at both the federal and state levels needs to be streamlined. “Your lives need to be easier. It needs to be easier for you to start a business, build a business, expand a business,” Tafoya said.

The candidates have moved fraud to the top of their agendas in the final stretch. Tafoya said, “Well I think we just have to tackle fraud first.” She noted that legislation to address the issue has already been written and that she intends to sign it. She also identified public safety as a primary focus.

Governor candidate Lisa Demuth agreed that fraud is the first priority. She called for immediate property tax relief. Demuth said, “When there is fraud, that affects our disability communities, it affects our taxpayers, and it affects every area of government.”

Demuth outlined specific plans to control fraud within state agencies. She said, “By getting it under control, I will be firing all current commissioners and replacing them with individuals that are experts in the field, that will have accountability. And be able to make the cultural changes within each agency that is so desperately needed.”

Democratic candidate Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan addressed the same issue in a separate interview. She said, “So I think fraud of any kind is completely unacceptable.” Flanagan acknowledged that Minnesota taxpayers are angry and that she is angry as well. She noted that she supported the Independent Office of Inspector General passed in the last legislative session, along with harsher penalties.

Both parties are urging voters to cast ballots on Tuesday. Demuth said, “We want to make sure that voters know how important this election is and that every single vote matters.”