2026年10月22日 美国东部时间凌晨4:00 / 福克斯新闻
两党州长候选人就欺诈、医疗保健和汽油价格展开论战
作者：安德鲁·马克·米勒、阿曼达·马西亚斯 福克斯新闻
民主党参议员艾米·克洛布查尔与明尼苏达州共和党众议院议长丽莎·德穆思就欺诈问题、汽油价格和医疗保健展开辩论，州长蒂姆·瓦尔兹的名字多次被提及。
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两位即将接替即将卸任的明尼苏达州州长蒂姆·瓦尔兹的州长候选人周三在最后一场辩论中，就该州曝光的大规模欺诈丑闻、医疗保健和飙升的汽油价格展开了交锋。
大规模欺诈丑闻
“投票给艾米·克洛布查尔就是投票给蒂姆·瓦尔兹的第三个任期，”共和党众议院议长丽莎·德穆思在开场发言中说道。她此前将民主党参议员艾米·克洛布查尔描绘成“维持现状”的候选人，称该州因这起90亿美元的欺诈丑闻陷入“危机”。
克洛布查尔在开场发言中反驳道：“我不喜欢现状。我厌恶现状。”
瓦尔兹的“离任访谈”反思任期引发议员就其遗产展开辩论：“从未认真过”
明尼苏达州州长蒂姆·瓦尔兹于2026年1月5日周一在明尼苏达州圣保罗州议会大厦的新闻发布会上宣布，他不会寻求连任。（杰里·霍尔特/明尼阿波利斯星坛报 via 盖蒂图片社）
辩论的第一个问题聚焦于欺诈——这是当晚反复出现的话题——以及每位候选人将如何打击欺诈行为。
“明尼苏达州的欺诈行为长期得不到遏制，如今终于浮出水面，”德穆思说道。“我上任第一天要做的就是解雇所有专员，挑选在各自领域精通业务的新专员，以落实我们州所需的问责制和透明度。我们必须改变欺诈文化。”
克洛布查尔在谈及该问题时试图将自己与瓦尔兹划清界限。
“欺诈行为完全不可接受，作为一名前检察官，我会将这些欺诈者送进监狱，”克洛布查尔说道。“蒂姆·瓦尔兹本应更早发现欺诈行为，本应采取更多行动。他自己也承认了这一点。顺便说一句，当我的对手提到蒂姆·瓦尔兹时，我只想说一件事：他不会寻求第三个任期，而站在这里的是我。”
辩论后期再次提及欺诈问题，德穆思批评克洛布查尔与瓦尔兹关系密切。
“你从未见过我的对手反对蒂姆·瓦尔兹的任何一项政策法案，她称他是一位了不起的州长，任由这些法案通过，”德穆思说道。“我很想听听她能说出一项法案、一个领域，比如儿童保育方面的欺诈性资金。我很想听听。如果她真的要特意与蒂姆·瓦尔兹划清界限，那么正是蒂姆·瓦尔兹任由明尼苏达州的儿童保育欺诈和其他欺诈行为飙升至90亿美元，从未解雇过他的任何专员或机构雇员。但今晚站在这里的却是一个支持这位她口中‘了不起的州长’一切政策的人。”
克洛布查尔回应道：“请回放本次辩论的录像；你会清楚看到我是如何表明与蒂姆·瓦尔兹的不同立场的。”
飙升的汽油价格
在另一个紧张时刻，候选人转而讨论飙升的汽油价格，克洛布查尔试图将德穆思与特朗普政府的政策联系起来。
“我可以告诉你，降低汽油价格最快的方法，就是停止这场伊朗战争，”克洛布查尔说道。“就是这样，从头到尾都是如此。看看我的对手提出的观点，本周早些时候我们进行辩论时，她实际上将责任归咎于keystone输油管道。随后她又将医疗成本归咎于巴拉克·奥巴马。我不知道接下来会是什么，也许是托马斯·杰斐逊，但我知道明尼苏达人清楚加油站的情况。”
一名共和党高层预测：爆炸性冷门议题可能推动中期选举震荡：“你会看到惊喜”
丽莎·德穆思与艾米·克洛布查尔于10月19日进行了首场辩论。（路透社/蒂姆·埃文斯；丹尼尔·赫尔/彭博社 via 盖蒂图片社）
德穆思将明尼苏达州的高成本归咎于明尼苏达民主党-农民-工党（DFL）对州政府的掌控。
“我们可以谈谈我的对手投票反对的keystone输油管道。该管道本可以输送83万桶石油，这有助于改善我们的石油供应，但她投了反对票，”德穆思说道。“但你必须问问自己，为什么明尼苏达州的物价如此之高？物价高是因为2023年和2024年的一党执政过度开支。我会降低物价，我会合理调整州预算，确保你们能够负担得起生活成本，能够成长、繁荣，企业将来到明尼苏达州，提供所需的工作岗位。这是常识，这也是你们在今年选举中需要做出的选择。”
医疗成本与胰岛素价格
随着明尼苏达人继续应对不断上涨的医疗成本，两位候选人就奥巴马医改展开了交锋，克洛布查尔曾在美国参议院投票支持该法案。
“重要的是要认识到，我们正在审视医疗成本上涨的所有因素和所有原因，”德穆思说道。“克洛布查尔参议员支持《平价医疗法案》，她曾承诺该法案会降低我们的医疗成本。不幸的是，自《平价医疗法案》实施以来，我们看到的完全相反，所有明尼苏达人的医疗成本都上涨了。”
克洛布查尔在回应中没有提及奥巴马医改，而是转而指出德穆思在堕胎问题上的立场，并指责这位共和党人受制于大型制药公司。
“你听到我的对手说，我不支持医疗保健领域的某些政策，她谈论的是已经定论的问题，”德穆思说道。“听到她称自己因在《平价医疗法案》中投下决定性一票而破坏了医疗体系，这实在是太荒谬了。”
在医疗保健讨论期间，克洛布查尔辩称德穆思在降低胰岛素价格方面做得不够，并提到她得到了26岁明尼苏达人亚历克斯·史密斯家人的支持。亚历克斯·史密斯因无力负担胰岛素治疗费用去世。
“澄清一下你刚才听到的一个非常错误或不真实的谎言：我确实在亚历克斯·史密斯胰岛素法案中投了赞成票，”德穆思回应道。“那是在2020年4月，州长第二天就签署该法案成为法律。”
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2024年2月12日周一，阳光照耀在明尼苏达州圣保罗的明尼苏达州议会大厦，当天是明尼苏达州议会2024年会期的开幕日。（史蒂夫·卡诺夫斯基/美联社）
克洛布查尔于2006年首次当选参议员，四次参议院选举均以较大优势获胜，包括2024年以近16个百分点的优势连任。在进入参议院之前，克洛布查尔曾两次当选明尼苏达州人口最多的亨内平县的县检察官。她还曾在2020年竞选民主党总统提名，但未成功。
德穆思于2018年首次当选明尼苏达州众议院议员，自2023年初以来一直担任该议院的共和党领袖，并在过去一年半担任议长。
安德鲁·马克·米勒是来自加利福尼亚州帕萨迪纳的记者，自2021年起就职于福克斯新闻数字频道。您可以通过AndrewMark.Miller@fox.com联系他。
WATCH: Top 3 clashes in heated MN governor debate as Walz’s legacy looms large: ‘Change the culture’
October 22, 2026 4:00am EDT / Fox News
The two gubernatorial candidates sparred on fraud, healthcare and gas prices
By Andrew Mark Miller , Amanda Macias Fox News
Dem. Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Minnesota GOP House Speaker Lisa Demuth sparred on fraud, gas prices, and healthcare in a debate where Gov. Tim Walzâs name came up often.
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The Republican and Democratic candidates vying to replace Minnesota’s outgoing Gov. Tim Walz sparred in their final debate Wednesday over the massive fraud scandal that has unfolded in the state, healthcare and rising gas prices.
MASSIVE FRAUD SCANDAL
“A vote for Amy Klobuchar is a vote for a Tim Walz third term,” Republican House Speaker Lisa Demuth said in her opening statement after painting Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar as the “status quo” candidate in a “state in crisis” over the $9 billion fraud scandal.
Klobuchar pushed back in her opening statement, saying, “I don’t like the status quo. I hate the status quo.”
WALZ’S ‘EXIT INTERVIEW’ REFLECTING ON HIS TENURE SPARKS LAWMAKER DEBATE ABOUT HIS LEGACY: ‘NEVER SERIOUS’
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz announced that he would not be seeking re-election Monday, January 5, 2026, at a press conference at the State Capitol in St. Paul, Minn.(Jerry Holt/The Minnesota Star Tribune via Getty Images)
The first question of the debate focused on fraud, a recurring topic throughout the night, and what each candidate would do to combat it.
“Fraud unchecked here in the state of Minnesota has gone far too long, and it has finally come to the surface,” Demuth said. “The thing that I will do on day one is I am going to be firing all commissioners, choosing new commissioners that are expert in their field that will carry out the accountability and transparency that is needed in our state. We have to change the culture of fraud.”
Klobuchar attempted to distance herself from Walz when addressing the issue.
“The fraud is simply unacceptable and, as a former prosecutor, I’m going to send those fraudsters to jail,” Klobuchar said. “Tim Walz should have caught the fraud earlier and he should have done more. He said it himself. And by the way, when my opponent references Tim Walz, I will say one thing. He is not seeking a third term. I am the one up here.”
Fraud came up again later in the debate, with Demuth criticizing Klobuchar’s close relationship with Walz.
“You have not heard my opponent differ from one policy bill that Tim Walz, who she calls an incredible governor, has allowed to go forward,” Demuth said. “I would love to hear one bill, one area, childcare, fraudulent funding. I would love to hear that. If she is separating herself specifically from Tim Walz, Tim Walz allowed the childcare fraud and other fraud here in the state of Minnesota to explode to $9 billion, never firing any of his commissioners or agency employees. But yet you have someone standing here tonight that is supporting everything from the incredible governor, as she has said he is.”
Klobuchar responded, “Rewind the tape on this debate please; you will see exactly how I said I differed from Tim Walz.”
RISING GAS PRICES
In another tense moment, the candidates turned to rising gas prices, with Klobuchar attempting to link Demuth to the policies of the Trump administration.
“I can tell you the fastest way to bring down your gas prices, and that is to stop this War in Iran,” Klobuchar said. “That is it, beginning, middle and end. And when you look at what my opponent brings up, when we had a debate earlier this week, she actually brought up and blamed it on the Keystone pipeline. Then she blamed the healthcare costs on Barack Obama. I don’t know what will be next. Maybe Thomas Jefferson, but what I know is that Minnesotans understand what’s happened at the pump.”
EXPLOSIVE SLEEPER ISSUE COULD FUEL MIDTERM SHAKEUPS, TOP REPUBLICAN PREDICTS: âYOUâRE GONNA SEE SURPRISESâ
Lisa Demuth and Amy Klobuchar faced off in their first debate on Oct. 19.(REUTERS/Tim Evans ; Daniel Heuer/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Demuth blamed high costs in Minnesota on the Minnesota DemocraticâFarmerâLabor Party’s (DFL) control of state government.
“We can talk about that Keystone pipeline that my opponent has voted against. That would have brought in 830,000 barrels of oil. It would have helped with the supply that we have here, yet she voted against it,” Demuth said. “But you have to ask yourself, why are things so expensive here in Minnesota? They are expensive because of overspending by a one-party control in 2023 and 2024. I will bring down prices. I will right-size our state budget and make sure that you can afford your lives, that you can grow, thrive, and businesses will be coming to Minnesota to provide the jobs that are needed. It’s common sense, and that’s the decision that you have to make as you’re looking to this election this year.”
HEALTHCARE COSTS AND INSULIN PRICES
As Minnesotans continue to grapple with rising healthcare costs, the two candidates sparred over ObamaCare, which Klobuchar voted for in the U.S. Senate.
“It’s important to realize that we’re looking at all of the inputs and all of the reasons why our healthcare is more expensive,” Demuth said. “Senator Klobuchar supported the Affordable Care Act. She promised that it would bring down our healthcare. Unfortunately, we have seen anything but all of our healthcare since the Affordable Care Act has increased the healthcare cost to all Minnesotans.”
Klobuchar didn’t address ObamaCare in her response, instead pointing to Demuth’s position on abortion and accusing the Republican of being beholden to Big Pharma.
“You’ve heard from my opponent that, I don’t support certain things in healthcare, she’s talking about issues that are already settled,” Demuth said. “I think it’s quite rich to hear the fact that she is the one that broke the healthcare system as the deciding vote on the Affordable Care Act.”
During the healthcare discussion, Klobuchar argued that Demuth has not done enough to lower insulin prices and cited the support she has received from the family of Alex Smith, a 26-year-old Minnesotan who died while struggling to afford his insulin treatments.
“Just to clarify a very incorrect or untruthful lie that you just heard was the fact that I did vote yes for the Alex Smith insulin bill,” Demuth responded. “Back in April of 2020. The governor signed it into law the very next day.”
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The sun shines on the Minnesota State Capitol on Monday, Feb. 12, 2024, in St. Paul, on the opening day of the 2024 session of the Minnesota Legislature.(Steve Karnowski/Associated Press)
Klobuchar, who was first elected to the Senate in 2006, won all four of her Senate elections by healthy margins, including her 2024 reelection by nearly 16 points. Before serving in the Senate, Klobuchar was elected twice as county attorney in Hennepin County, Minnesota’s most populous. She also ran unsuccessfully for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination.
Demuth, who was first elected to the Minnesota House in 2018, has served as GOP leader in the chamber since the start of 2023 and as speaker for the past year and a half.
Andrew Mark Miller is a reporter from Pasadena, California, who has been with Fox News Digital since 2021. You can reach him at AndrewMark.Miller@fox.com.
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