Sen. Gazelka Expresses Opposition to Gov. Walz’s Extended Stay-at-Home Order

Republican Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka of Nisswa is expressing concern about Governor Tim Walz extending the state’s stay-at-home order on Wednesday.

Gazelka tweeted the following on Thursday:

I do not approve of the Governor’s unilateral decision to continue the order to shelter at home until May 4th. We have to get on with our lives.

— Paul Gazelka (@paulgazelka) April 9, 2020

Gov Walz expecting up to 5,000 people in ICU this June. New York State has less than 5,000 people in the ICU TODAY! NY has 19.5 million people to our 5.6 million. We have around 3000 beds available. We are ready for the surge now. Why shut MN business down for a NY sized surge?

— Paul Gazelka (@paulgazelka) April 9, 2020

The governor was asked to respond at his daily press conference, where he said he wanted people back to work as badly as anyone, but that the priority is to keep Minnesotans safe.

“If they believe the Mayo Clinic’s wrong, if they believe all nine of the health care associations are wrong, if they believe that the CDC is wrong, if they believe that the President’s guidance from the administration is wrong, and if they believe 42 other states are wrong, then I value their opinion to say so, but we can’t go on a hunch,” said Walz. “And I hope I am as wrong as can be about the needs on those beds, but all the data shows me that I cannot risk that at this time, but I’m trying to find that line of – with Minnesotans’ cooperation that we can restart the economy in a smart way.”