Potential Walz successor unleashes on state's sanctuary policies: 'The rule of law matters'

EXCLUSIVE: Minnesota GOP gubernatorial candidate Patrick Knight slammed Gov. Tim Walz and other leading Democrats, saying the state is "cratering" under their leadership as they treat the law like a "buffet."

In an interview with Fox News Digital, Knight criticized the sanctuary policies in his state, saying, "The law is not a buffet table where you just pick and choose which laws you're going to enforce today and which laws you're going to ignore."

"The rule of law matters," he said.  

A Marine veteran of 20 years and a former manufacturing CEO, Knight is one of nearly a dozen candidates running for the Republican nomination to succeed Walz in the Minnesota governor's mansion.

TIM WALZ ACCUSES TRUMP OF 'ORGANIZED BRUTALITY' IN IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN, SAYS ICE TACTICS ARE 'UN-AMERICAN'

His decision to run comes as the state is reeling from a recently exposed massive fraud scandal, involving state programs, that is believed to have cost taxpayers billions of dollars. The fraud crisis, which saw heavy involvement from Minnesota's Somali immigrant community, prompted a federal immigration crackdown that has in turn sparked widespread unrest. Two anti-ICE activists, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, both 37, have been killed by federal officers during confrontations with law enforcement.

Addressing these deaths, Knight said, "The loss of any life is tragic, and there should be a full and transparent investigation with both the state and the federal government participating and let the facts drive the accountability."

Knight went on to say that for too long the people of Minnesota have been "the ones picking up the pieces" left by irresponsible state and local leadership.

"Things could have been easier as they are in other states," he said. "When the federal government, in a reasonable manner, enforces immigration law and the city and state cooperate, that's when it works. It's when egos get involved and political theatrics get involved where it spins out of control."

DEMOCRATS DIG IN ON IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT, THREATENING GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN

"When Gov. Walz testified before Congress, he stated openly that he would, the state would cooperate with ICE. And then, two weeks later, he is at the University of Minnesota Law School graduation where he is calling ICE the 'modern day Gestapo.'"

Connecting this to a broader pattern of Walz and other Minnesota politicians prioritizing politics over the people, saying, "Minnesota is cratering on the fundamentals."

"We're just going on the wrong way on every, not just some, every fundamental. Crime, education, economy, affordability, not to mention good governance," he said. "For the past six years, we've just been the center of political theater. We just can't escape it, and I think Minnesotans are tired of it, I certainly am, and we need to just focus on fixing the basics, the fundamentals."

Knight frames his platform around a five-point plan he jokingly titled the "big, beautiful, basic, boring" plan that focuses on the economy, affordability, education, rule of law and building a smaller, more efficient state government.

LEAVITT SAYS TRUMP SPOKE TO WALZ, DEMANDS MINNESOTA 'WORK TOGETHER PEACEFULLY' WITH ICE: 'LET COPS BE COPS'

His argument is that the North Star State has lost its way and now needs to move away from the excitement of the current political climate to focus on the basics and ending the fraud.

"It's a cultural issue that needs to be changed and it starts at the top."

"I say it's a simple fix," Knight concluded. "Get a strong, competent governor."