Statement from Phillip C. Parrish, Candidate for Governor of Minnesota 2026
Issued on June 22, 2025, at 07:30 AM CDT
Fellow Minnesotans,
As a Navy veteran, teacher, and candidate for Governor in 2026, I am concerned about the safety and well-being of our great state. The recent U.S. military action against Iran’s nuclear facilities has understandably raised questions about potential threats to our homeland. However, Governor Tim Walz’s early morning statement directing public safety teams to a “heightened alert” status reveals a troubling pattern of leadership marked by ignorance and the reckless use of fear without substance.
Let’s be clear: the idea that Minnesota faces an imminent threat from Iran is far-fetched. Iran’s ballistic missile range tops out at approximately 2,000 kilometers—barely enough to reach parts of Europe, let alone our state, which sits over 10,000 kilometers away. Their proxy forces, like the Houthis or Hezbollah, are regionally limited and lack the capability to strike us directly. The real danger lies not in some distant missile barrage but in the cyber realm and potential terrorist actions by inspired lone actors or small cells—threats that require proactive intelligence and robust cybersecurity, not vague public alerts that sow panic.
Governor Walz’s response demonstrates a lack of understanding of these dynamics. His generic call for heightened alert, with no specific intelligence or actionable plan, suggests he is either uninformed about the true nature of the risks or deliberately amplifying fear to distract from his administration’s failures. This is not leadership—it’s political theater. Consider the recent assassination attempt linked to a suspect with ties to his appointees, as reported by the New York Times. Instead of addressing this domestic threat head-on, Walz resorts to parroting DNC talking points about international crises, a tactic echoed by governors like Newsom and Pritzker, as seen on X. This coordinated fearmongering lacks substance and erodes public trust.
As Governor, I would prioritize real security measures: strengthening our cyber defenses to protect critical infrastructure like our energy grid and transportation hubs, enhancing local law enforcement’s ability to counter domestic radicalization, and ensuring transparency with Minnesotans about credible threats—backed by facts, not speculation. Iran’s likely retaliation, if any, would target our digital systems or exploit existing vulnerabilities, not launch an impossible cross-continental strike. Walz’s failure to articulate this, coupled with his history of appointing questionable figures, shows he is out of his depth.
Minnesotans deserve a leader who faces facts, not one who foments fear. I call on Governor Walz to provide detailed, evidence-based updates on any specific threats and to stop using our safety as a political prop. Together, we can build a secure future—let’s start with accountability now.
For a stronger Minnesota,
Phillip C. Parrish
Candidate for Governor, 2026
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