Republican Newport Beach Mayor Will O’Neill slammed Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s leadership before a fundraiser for the Democratic vice presidential candidate in the California beach town on Tuesday.
“Frankly, the image of Gov. Walz as governor was one of watching Minneapolis and its fire stations burn,” O’Neill told “Fox & Friends” co-host Steve Doocy on Tuesday, referring to the George Floyd riots in 2020. “And we’ve actually seen similar scenes here in California, in places like Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Oakland, and it really does come down to the fact that the governor here, Gov. Newsom and Gov. Walz are really two sides of the same blue coin when it comes to public safety.”
“So I want to bring him down to the police department, talk to the police chief, talk to the community members who really support the Newport Beach Police Department about why it’s important and why it’s important,” O’Neill continued.
Walz is heading to Los Angeles today to speak at the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Officials convention and later in the day at a lavish fundraiser in Newport Beach, where tickets can cost up to $100,000.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz’s policies and leadership were sharply criticized by Newport Beach Mayor Will O’Neill on “Fox & Friends” ahead of a visit to the California beach town.
“We’re a little California” reveals how locals feel about Gov. Walz’s ‘very liberal’ policies
O’Neill said he hopes that while Walz is on his “donor tourism” tour, the Democrat will notice the visible differences between conservative-run Newport Beach and Democrat-run Los Angeles.
“I hope that while he’s driving through the streets of Los Angeles in his armored vehicle, he actually takes the time to look out and sees the encampments and the crime-ridden streets and the deserted shopping areas, and by the time he gets to Newport Beach, with its paved roads and its beautiful surroundings, he actually takes the time to look around and say, ‘OK, that’s it, Newport Beach,'” he continued.
The Republican mayor also addressed criticism that Vice President Harris has backed away from some progressive policy positions since becoming the Democratic presidential nominee.
“Well, she has no choice,” O’Neill said. “If you were to pick five words to describe California, would public safety be in the first 25? I don’t think so. California has decent places like Newport Beach, but I don’t think anyone would compare California to where they live and say they wish they had more of that. So she has to change her policy positions.”
Click here to get the FOX News app
Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, have both historically held far-left policy positions but have faced criticism for trying to appear more moderate as the election approaches. (Rhonda Churchill/AFP via Getty Images)
Before the Waltz stop, O’Neill welcomed Waltz He warned against progressive policies.
“Newport Beach has a 7-0 Republican City Council and, as Mayor, I welcome Governor Walz to spend time with city leaders while he has his hands in people’s wallets,” the mayor wrote on social media. “I will showcase a city that doesn’t cut the police budget, embraces conservative economic values, reduces debt to improve quality of life, doesn’t allow protesters to cripple local businesses, and values human flourishing. If Governor Walz is as interested in learning policy lessons from well-run cities as he is in political contributions, I’m open to it.”
