Minnesota GOP reacts to State of the State address; asks Walz to reconsider professions’ ability to work – KTTC

ST. PAUL. Minn. (KTTC) Minnesota Governor Tim Walz held his State of the State address Sunday evening.

He took time to briefly thank Minnesotans and reassure them that this pandemic is temporary.

"We are truly one Minnesota, and a new day will come. The sun will shine brightly. The trees will bud and the birds will sing. Spring will arrive, and when it does we will dig out Minnesota," Governor Walz said.

Following the address, House Minority Leader Kurt Daudt, R-Crown, shared his response.

"I think the Governor is really trying to, from the perspective of the leader of the state, and trying to inspire Minnesotans and let them know, we will get through this. And I would agree with him we certainly want to remain a united front, Republicans and Democrats and not only wanting to fight and defeat COVID-19 but also make sure that Minnesotans get back to normal as quickly as it is," Daudt said.

Daudt also urges the the governor to reconsider allowing certain professions to be able to work as long as they are social distancing.

"The one that comes to mind, and I got an email from some friends of mine who are older. And they can't take care of their yard work and now their lawn. They certainly were asking and they wrote and email to the Governor today about allowing lawn care workers to get back. And I know that golf courses could certainly be open and provide an opportunity for folks to get out and get a little bit of recreation. If we can't allow them to open we at least need to allow them to maintain the golf course," he said.

Walz's address statement served as a motivational speech to show the strength in our communities.

He said the state is working on increasing testing capabilities and building hospital capacity, as well as getting more personal protective equipment for health care workers.

"Minnesotans wont just prepare for COVID-19we will lead. The brilliant minds and hard work of Minnesotans will help lead the worlds response to this crisis. Mayo Clinic is leading a national trial to use blood from patients who have recovered from COVID-19 as a treatment for others who fall ill with the disease. Hospitals across the state, from the largest systems to the smallest, are preparing in new ways for a surge in patients. 3M workers are producing millions of protective face masks a month. Medtronic is publicly sharing the design specifications for its ventilators to spark rapid manufacturing of this critical equipment desperately needed to save lives," Walz said.

Walz thanks those who stay at home, and practicing social distancing. He emphasized that those efforts are helping slow down the spread of this virus. He also said he understands how this is ruining plans for students, churches, family gatherings, and sporting events.

Walz shared stories of how Minnesotans are coming together to help each other as they get through the pandemic.

"In North Branch, a state trooper pulled a woman over this weekend for speeding. It turns out, she was a doctor in town for work.The trooper noticed some medical masks in her bag that she had been forced to re-use due to the current shortage. Instead of handing her a ticket, the trooper handed her a stack of masks that he had been given to keep him safe, he put his neighbor first," he said.

The stay at home executive order goes into effect until April 10th at 5 pm.

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Minnesota GOP reacts to State of the State address; asks Walz to reconsider professions' ability to work - KTTC