In his first State of the State address since winning reelection, Gov. Tim Walz drew a contrast between Minnesota — where Democrats hold control of the executive branch and both houses of the Legislature — and states under Republican control.

Walz highlighted a number of achievements through the first 100 days of his second term, saying, “the era of gridlock was over.”

“We have the resources. We have the shared vision. And for the first time in half a century, we have the political will to get this done,” he said.

He touted laws passed in just the first three months of the session, including millions in state tax cuts, protecting abortion rights, providing breakfast and lunch to all Minnesota students, allowing undocumented immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses and requiring all energy produced in-state to be 100% carbon-free by 2040.

Walz also took aim at Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is testing the waters for a 2024 presidential run.

“It’s not up to me how folks in places like Florida go about their business,” Walz said. “But I have to tell you, I’m pretty glad we do things our way and not their way. I mean: They’re banning books from their schools. We’re banishing hunger from ours.”

With a month left in the legislative session, Gov. Walz also set out his budget agenda, pledging to use part of the state’s $17 billion surplus to send rebate checks to Minnesotans — but he did not name a dollar amount.

He also presented a plan for child tax credits, increasing education funding, universal paid leave and more restrictive gun laws.

“There’s no place for weapons of war in our schools, or in our churches, or in our banks, or anywhere else people are just trying to live in peace,” Walz said.

To that end, the governor pledged to pass universal background checks and red flag laws.

House Minority Leader Lisa Demuth, R-Cold Spring, called Walz’s address “a national campaign speech” and accused the governor of “ignoring the needs of Minnesotans across the state.”

Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson, R-East Grand Forks, and Demuth criticized Walz for not pledging to completely eliminate the tax on Social Security benefits; the DFL tax bill introduced last week only expands exemptions.

“With a record budget surplus of $17.5 billion, returning that to Minnesotans, reducing government and the costs is what our Minnesota residents are looking for,” Demuth said.

Minnesota GOP Party Chair David Hahn also put out a statement calling the State of the State address “a hyper-partisan wishlist,” going on to say, “People want commonsense solutions, not these partisan priorities that cater to the far left.”