Public Statement from Phillip C. Parrish, Republican Candidate for Governor of Minnesota 2026
For Immediate Release
May 29, 2025 – As a proud Minnesotan and Republican candidate for Governor in 2026, I am dedicated to restoring prosperity, freedom, and opportunity for all Minnesotans. My campaign focuses on the issues that unite 80% of us—cutting taxes, reducing government overreach, strengthening public safety, supporting rural communities, ensuring fairness in education and sports, and upholding the rule of law. I believe in protecting the dignity and safety of all, including ensuring that biological sex determines access to girls’ sports, locker rooms, and restrooms. I also believe hardworking Minnesotans—servers, bartenders, retirees, and families—deserve to keep more of their money, and parents should have the freedom to choose the best education for their children. In my first 100 days as Governor, starting January 2027, I will act decisively within the authority of the office to deliver results that reflect our shared values, including lowering gas taxes, prioritizing community safety, and empowering parents in education.
Minnesota’s Gas Tax and Opportunity for Relief
Minnesota’s gas tax is $0.318 per gallon ($0.283 excise + $0.035 surcharge), up nearly 12% since 2023 due to Governor Tim Walz’s indexing law, which automatically raises rates annually. Combined with the federal tax of $0.184, Minnesotans pay $0.502 per gallon, a burden felt deeply by rural families. With a $17.5 billion surplus in 2023 and revenue from motor vehicle sales taxes (6.875%) and fees, we can cut the excise tax by 5 cents per gallon, saving the average driver $34 yearly while maintaining critical road projects through reallocated surplus funds and streamlined budgets.
Minnesota’s Sanctuary Policies and Public Safety
Minnesota operates as a de facto sanctuary state under Walz’s Executive Order 20-81, which limits state cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. Cities like Minneapolis and St. Paul further restrict local police from assisting ICE, undermining public safety by shielding some criminal activity. As Governor, I will restore cooperation with federal authorities to deport felons convicted of violent crimes, such as murder or assault, ensuring our communities are safe while respecting local governance.
Empowering Parents Through School Choice
Minnesota’s education system must prioritize students and parents, not bureaucracy. The current per-pupil funding of $7,460 follows students only to public and charter schools, leaving private school families without equitable access. I will fight to ensure education dollars follow the child, including to private schools, empowering parents to choose the best learning environment for their children, especially for low-income and underserved families. While statutory changes are needed, I will take immediate steps to advance this vision.
First 100 Days Action Plan
• Within the First 5 Days: I will issue an executive order ensuring only biological females compete in girls’ and women’s sports and access girls’ locker rooms and restrooms in public schools and colleges. This will direct the Department of Education and Minnesota State High School League to uphold fairness and safety, a widely supported principle. I will defend this policy in court if challenged, protecting opportunities for female athletes.
• Within the First 7 Days: I will issue an executive order rescinding Executive Order 20-81 and all sanctuary state policies, directing the Department of Public Safety to cooperate with ICE in deporting felons convicted of violent crimes (e.g., murder, assault). I will call on the legislature to standardize state-local cooperation, prioritizing the safety of Minnesotans while respecting local governance.
• Within the First 10 Days: I will issue an executive order eliminating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies across state agencies, including the One Minnesota Council and Chief Equity Officer role. These programs prioritize ideology over merit, costing millions. I will replace them with merit-based hiring and services, redirecting funds to tax relief and uniting Minnesotans around fairness.
• Within the First 10 Days: I will direct the Minnesota Department of Revenue to conduct a 30-day review of state taxes, including the gas tax, tips, and Social Security benefits, to identify reductions in income, property, sales, and fuel taxes, and eliminate redundant fees. This will propose a 5-cent per gallon gas tax cut, no tax on tips for service workers, and no tax on Social Security benefits for retirees, easing burdens on families, workers, and seniors, as I’ve championed against over-taxation.
• By Day 15: I will issue an executive order imposing a 90-day moratorium on new state regulations, except for emergencies, and require agencies to review existing rules for redundancy or burden, especially on small businesses and farmers, aligning with my commitment to ending overreach.
• By Day 20: I will issue an executive order repealing Governor Walz’s Due North Education Plan, which emphasizes ideological agendas over core skills. I will direct the Department of Education to develop, within 60 days, a project-based learning framework focusing on math, reading, science, and critical thinking, collaborating with educators and parents to ensure practical, broadly supported education.
• By Day 25: I will issue an executive order establishing a School Choice Task Force to design, within 60 days, a legally sound framework for per-pupil funding to follow the child, including to private schools, prioritizing low-income and underserved students. I will call on the legislature to enact this framework, empowering parents to choose the best education for their children.
• By Day 30: I will appoint a bipartisan public safety task force with law enforcement, community leaders, and rural representatives to recommend, within 60 days, ways to enhance community policing and officer recruitment in underserved areas, reflecting my commitment to safe communities.
• By Day 60: I will submit a 2027–2029 biennial budget proposal including a 5% income tax rate reduction, elimination of three state fees, a 5-cent per gallon gas tax cut, and increased funding for rural infrastructure like broadband and roads. It will also support the project-based learning framework and propose a pilot program for school choice using surplus funds, prioritizing core skills and parent empowerment. I will work with legislators across parties to secure passage.
• By Day 80: If the legislature delays tax relief, including the gas tax cut, I will call a special session to pass a bill reducing property taxes by 10% for homeowners and small businesses and lowering the gas tax, delivering immediate relief.
• Throughout the First 90 Days: I will appoint commissioners for agencies like Revenue, Management and Budget, Education, and Public Safety, who prioritize efficiency, transparency, fairness, and safety. Acting commissioners will begin work pending Senate confirmation, delivering monthly reports targeting $50 million in administrative savings by Day 100.
This plan reflects my vision for a Minnesota that empowers its people, protects fairness, and prioritizes practical solutions. By ensuring fair sports and facilities, ending divisive DEI and sanctuary policies, cooperating to deport violent felons, replacing Due North with skills-focused education, advancing school choice, and cutting taxes—including the gas tax—we will build a stronger, safer, and more unified Minnesota.
Join me to put Minnesotans first. Visit parrish4mn.com to learn more and get involved. Together, we can create a brighter, more prosperous future.
Sincerely,
Phillip C. Parrish
Republican Candidate for Governor of Minnesota 2026
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