A Senate Republican hopeful eyeing Minnesotas open seat accused Minnesota's Gov. Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison of turning a blind eye to a multibillion-dollar fraud scandal in the Land of 10,000 Lakes.
Michele Tafoya, 61, is running to replace retiring Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minn., in a crowded race where Republicans have heavily targeted Walz and Ellison over a nearly $10 billion daycare, food aid and health clinic fraud scheme that unfolded under their noses.
This widespread theft could flip a Senate seat red in Minnesota for the first time since 2008, Tafoya insisted in an interview with Fox News Digital, adding that people in her state are "angry."
"Fraud is certainly at the forefront" of this election, she said.
Former sportscaster turned political activist and commentator Michele Tafoya is now running for U.S. Senate in Minnesota. Tafoya is seen at the Fox News Channel studios on April 18, 2024, in New York City. (Roy Rochlin/Getty Images)
"I think that Tim Walz and Keith Ellison are both to blame for this fraud," Tafoya alleged. "Look, theyre at the top. And as one very revered former United States senator told me, that amount of money cannot change hands without people knowing."
"So people knew this was going on," the former sports broadcaster added, demanding someone be held accountable for the widespread fraud.
Brian Evans, a spokesperson for Ellison, told Fox News Digital that the attorney general's office has gone after fraud in the state, specifically with the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, which has "secured over 340 convictions and regularly ranks as one of the most efficient team of fraud fighters in the nation."
"Attorney General Ellison is currently leading the charge to pass a bipartisan bill to give his fraud control unit more resources and authority to go after fraudsters and protect our tax dollars," Evans said. "He has a strong record of fighting fraud and holding fraudsters accountable."
Both Walz and Ellison defended their actions to address fraud in their state during a congressional hearing . House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer, R-Ky., found ahead of the hearing that Walz and Ellison were aware of fraud in the state but "repeatedly failed to act."
And Tafoya claimed they "laughed it off" during their appearance before the House Oversight Committee in March.
"People knew this was going on. We have seen it with the Quality 'Learing' Center," Tafoya said. "We know that there have been so many mistakes made. And when you are the governor, the buck stops with you."
Tafoya claims that Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, right, and AG Keith Ellison, left, were aware of a multibillion-dollar fraud scheme in the state. Both men testified before Congress on March 4, 2026. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images; Jerry Holt/The Minnesota Star Tribune via Getty Images)
Tafoya, a former sports reporter seeking elected office for the first time, is aiming to flip the seat red and said Minnesotans are "ready for a change."
"They are so fed up and disillusioned," she said.
When asked about a noncitizen recently charged with committing voter fraud and perjury in Minnesota, Tafoya tied that issue to the multibillion-dollar fraud scandal and said, "Walz and company want us to believe theres zero voter fraud."
"Where theres smoke, theres fire," Tafoya said. "Im certain thats not the only example. And for them to say that we had perfect elections, when they have just proven that they are willing to lie through their teeth about where our money is going, is laughable."
But Tafoya is not running against Walz or Ellison and despite having the most campaign coffers among her cohorts, she must first survive a crowded primary to win the Republican nomination. Only then will she advance to the general election in November against Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn., or Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, both of whom she claims are trying to "out-left" each other.
Specifically, Tafoya pointed to Flanagan, saying: "She got dressed in a hijab and told Minnesotans, 'Somalis built Minnesota.' That was so offensive to everyone in the state."
"So that gives you an example of how much of a leftist she is."
Minnesota Lt. Gov. and candidate for U.S. Senate Peggy Flannagan, left, pictured alongside her Democratic primary challenger Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn., right. Tafoya says the two are trying to out-left each other. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images; David Berding/Getty Images)
While Tafoya has the backing of Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., who chairs the Senate GOPs campaign arm, the National Republican Senatorial Committee, former President Donald Trump has yet to issue a coveted endorsement that could make or break her campaign.
Tafoya said it is ultimately Trumps decision whether and when to endorse a candidate in the race.
"Im going to let him speak for himself on any endorsement," Tafoya said. "We would happily take it. But right now, we are the candidate that has raised the most money by far in the Republican senatorial race in Minnesota, and we think that speaks very highly of our chances."
She has also outpaced her Republican opponents, raising just over $2 million between January and March of this year, with just under $1.9 million on hand, according to filings with the Federal Election Commission. Tafoya also holds a cash advantage over Flanagan, who has raised $1.4 million and still has $1.1 million on hand.
Both are surpassed by Craig, who has brought in $2.5 million and has a whopping $4.9 million on hand.
Fox News Digital reached out for comment from Walz but did not immediately hear back.
一位有意角逐明尼苏达州参议院空缺席位的共和党候选人指控该州州长蒂姆·沃尔兹（Tim Walz）和总检察长基思·埃里森（Keith Ellison），对发生在"万湖之州"的数十亿美元欺诈丑闻视而不见。
61岁的米歇尔·塔福亚（Michele Tafoya）正参与竞选，以接替即将退休的明尼苏达州民主党参议员蒂娜·史密斯（Tina Smith）。在这场竞争激烈的选战中，共和党人将矛头直指沃尔兹（Walz）和埃里森（Ellison），指控二人对眼皮底下发生的近100亿美元日托、食品援助和医疗诊所欺诈计划监管不力。
塔福亚在接受福克斯新闻数字频道采访时坚称，这种普遍的舞弊行为可能使明尼苏达州的参议院席位自2008年以来首次翻红，并补充说该州民众对此感到"愤怒"。
她表示：“舞弊无疑是本次选举的首要问题。”
塔福亚指控称："我认为蒂姆·沃尔兹和基思·埃里森都应对这起欺诈事件负责。要知道，他们身居高位。正如一位备受尊敬的美国前参议员告诉我的，如此巨额资金流转不可能无人知晓。"
这位前体育节目主持人补充道：“所以人们都知道这件事在发生。”他要求有人为这起大规模的欺诈行为承担责任。
埃里森的发言人布莱恩·埃文斯向福克斯数字新闻透露，州检察长办公室一直致力于打击欺诈行为，特别是通过医疗补助反欺诈控制部门开展工作。该部门"已成功定罪340余起案件，并常年被评为全美最高效的反欺诈团队之一"。
埃文斯表示：“总检察长埃里森正积极推动通过一项两党法案，旨在为其反欺诈部门提供更多资源和权限，以追查欺诈者并保护纳税人资金。他在打击欺诈行为、追究欺诈者责任方面有着卓著成效。”
在国会听证会上，沃尔兹（Walz）和埃里森（Ellison）均为自己所在州打击欺诈行为的举措进行了辩护。然而听证会前，肯塔基州共和党众议员、众议院监督委员会主席詹姆斯·科默（James Comer）指出，二人早已知晓该州存在的欺诈问题，却"屡次未能采取行动"。
塔福亚声称，他们在三月份出席众议院监督委员会听证会时对此"一笑置之"。
塔福亚表示：“人们都知道这件事一直在发生。我们在‘质量学习’中心就目睹过这种情况。我们清楚已经犯下了太多错误。而作为州长，责任最终必须由你承担。”
首次竞选公职的前体育记者塔福亚（Tafoya）力图使该席位转红，并表示明尼苏达州民众已"准备好迎接变革"。
"他们感到如此厌倦和幻灭，"她说道。
当被问及明尼苏达州一名非公民近期因选民欺诈和伪证罪被起诉一事时，塔福亚将此事与数十亿美元的欺诈丑闻联系起来，并表示：“沃尔兹及其同伙想让我们相信选民欺诈为零。”
"无风不起浪，"塔福亚说道。"我敢肯定这绝非孤例。他们刚刚才被揭穿在资金去向上厚颜无耻地撒谎，现在却声称我们的选举完美无缺，简直荒谬可笑。"
但塔福亚的对手并非沃尔兹或埃里森。尽管她在同僚中拥有最充裕的竞选资金，仍需先在这场竞争激烈的初选中胜出，才能获得共和党提名。唯有如此，她才能在11月的大选中对阵明尼苏达州民主党众议员安吉·克雷格或该州副州长佩吉·弗拉纳根。塔福亚声称，这两位对手正试图在"左倾"道路上超越对方。
塔福亚特别提到弗拉纳根时说道："她戴上头巾，对明尼苏达州民众宣称‘索马里人建设了明尼苏达’。这番言论令该州所有人感到极度冒犯。"
由此可见她是个多么激进的左派分子。
尽管塔福亚已获得南卡罗来纳州共和党参议员蒂姆·斯科特的支持（斯科特担任参议院共和党竞选机构——全国共和党参议员委员会主席），但前总统唐纳德·特朗普尚未发出可能决定其竞选成败的关键性背书。
塔福亚表示，是否以及何时在竞选中支持某位候选人，最终将由特朗普决定。
"关于任何背书，我将让他自己表态，"塔福亚说道。"我们当然乐意接受支持。但眼下，我们是明尼苏达州共和党参议员竞选中迄今筹款最多的候选人，我们认为这充分证明了我们的胜算。"
根据联邦选举委员会的文件显示，她在今年1月至3月期间筹集了略高于200万美元的资金，手头现有资金略低于190万美元，筹款金额已超过共和党对手。塔福亚（Tafoya）在现金储备上也优于弗拉纳根（Flanagan）——后者筹集了140万美元，目前手头仍有110万美元。
克雷格的表现超越了前两者，他已筹集到250万美元，手头资金更是高达490万美元。
福克斯新闻数字频道已联系沃尔茨寻求置评，但未立即获得回复。
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