MINNEAPOLIS — A parental rights advocate in Minneapolis is warning that Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz's policies on issues like abortion and gender ideology are far from "moderate" and says that under his watch, Minnesota has become one of the most progressive states in the country.
"I was pretty surprised that the claim for his pick was that he is a moderate, that he shares Minnesota values," Renee Carlson, General Counsel of True North Legal, a legal initiative of the Minnesota Family Council, told Fox News Digital.
"A lot of people in Minnesota are astounded by the policies that have been passed in Minnesota, specifically policies that affect families flourishing. They're disappointed and certainly not in line with his progressive ideology."
Carlson told Fox News Digital that one of the key areas Walz’s leadership has let down her community is on the issue of abortion.
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"From our perspective at True North Legal, we were very disappointed with the administration's governance on matters of protecting life and also protecting not only these preborn children, but protecting women," Carlson said. "He has some of the most extreme policies, not only in the United States, but in the world, on par with China and North Korea."
"The reality of it is, most Minnesotans did not agree with his policy of abortion up to birth with no limitations," she continued. "This is for anybody, this includes minors. There is also a repeal that partners with that fundamental right of nearly all protective guardrails for women and girls seeking an abortion. This means the removal of hospital-only law, of physician-only laws, of the 24-hour waiting period. A woman's right to know, which simply provides them information about what happens to their bodies when they get an abortion."
Carlson explained that legislation in Minnesota was amended to remove protections for babies born alive after surviving an abortion and that now they only receive "comfort care" as opposed to "life-saving care."
"We're talking about an administration that thinks that it's okay to let preborn children who survive an abortion die on a cold metal table," Carlson said. "Cattle and reptiles in Minnesota now have more rights than Minnesota's women and preborn children when it comes to abortion."
When it comes to religious freedom under Gov. Walz, Carlson says that he has missed the mark.
"Very disappointed and not a moderate position at all," she said. "I mean, a brazen attack on our fundamental freedoms and First Amendment rights."
"The Minnesota Human Rights Act, like many states, has anti-discrimination provisions, based on specific categories. One of those is gender identity, and that is at times in conflict with sincerely held religious beliefs of religious people in Minnesota. And that's about half the population," Carlson said. "Well, a special exemption back in the '90s was put in when sexual orientation was added as a protected class to the Minnesota Human Rights Act. I mean, and that was a wonderful demonstration of pluralism. If that legislation was going to be added, at least there were protections for religious organizations within this exemption. Well, that exemption, like I said, was removed last year."
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"These are brazen policies. They are not moderate," she added.
Walz, who has been nicknamed by some Republicans in the state as "Tampon Tim" for allowing menstrual products to be placed in some boys' school bathrooms, has also earned a failing grade from Carlson when it comes to gender ideology.
"With respect to gender ideology, Minnesota is — quite surprisingly, though it's in the Midwest — emerging as one of the most progressive states when it comes to gender policies," she said. "Essentially, their policies reflect a sentiment that they would like gender ideology to be the superseding category."
Carlson told Fox News Digital that the Walz administration has "not proven to be a moderate administration at all" and "they've passed some of the most extreme progressive policies."
"Their state agencies have enforced some of the most extreme progressive laws, and that is disappointing," she said.
"That has been a struggle for many, many Minnesotans, and if that's happening in Minnesota, imagine what could happen to the fabric of our country. We are fighting for our freedoms. I mean, something as simple as religious freedom was on the chopping blocks in Minnesota. If that's happening in Minnesota, just imagine what could happen across the country. I think people need to take a closer look at Minnesota and what policies have been passed. And again, in my firsthand experience, this is not a moderate administration. These are some of the most progressive, extreme policies that we've seen across the country."
Fox News Digital reached out to the Harris-Walz campaign for comment but did not receive a response.
