Michele Tafoya Blasts Tim Walz: 'A Billion Dollars is Missing in Minnesota' | Planet Tyrus

Summary

Planet Tyrus Podcast Summary

Episode: Michele Tafoya Blasts Tim Walz: 'A Billion Dollars is Missing in Minnesota'
Date: April 21, 2026
Host: Tyrus (with guest Michele Tafoya)
Podcast: Outkick/Planet Tyrus

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Episode Overview

This episode features a high-energy conversation between host Tyrus—a former pro wrestler, comedian, and Fox News contributor—and famed NFL broadcaster Michele Tafoya. The central focus is Minnesota’s political climate, particularly the recent billion-dollar fraud under Governor Tim Walz, and Michele Tafoya’s motivations for stepping into the political arena. The discussion dives into state-level corruption, the decline of “Minnesota Nice,” problems in public education, and Tafoya’s personal journey from iconic broadcaster to aspiring public servant. The tone is candid, humorous, and impassioned, often punctuated with personal anecdotes and sharp commentary.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Michele Tafoya’s Motivation for Entering Politics

• Michele frames her candidacy as a response to Minnesota's decline and a desire to "serve" her state (00:30).
  • “This is my chance to serve. That's all that it is. When you see your own state falling out from underneath your feet, you think, okay, might as well start here.” – Michele Tafoya (00:30)
• She’s alarmed by the disappearance of the state’s pride and the embarrassment Minnesotans now feel, tracing the shift to the past decade or so of leadership (02:44–04:30).

2. Minnesota's Crisis under Governor Walz

• The missing one billion dollars is discussed as symptomatic of a deeper culture of corruption and incompetence:
  • “A billion dollars is missing in Minnesota and you're the governor. Come on, stop it. Yeah.” – Tyrus (00:38)
• Tafoya recounts how public funds meant for children, seniors, and the disabled wound up in the hands of criminals, and highlights the lack of accountability during and after the George Floyd riots (06:39, 07:45).
  • “You let the police station burn down. You’ve kept police officers from doing their jobs and protecting people... You've overseen the complete destruction of a once great state.” – Michele Tafoya (06:39)

3. Decline of ‘Minnesota Nice’ & Civic Culture

• Both express shock at how Minnesota, once seen as the archetype of the Midwestern “nice,” became vulnerable to ideological and bureaucratic overreach (05:00–05:40).
• Tafoya suggests that tolerance and complacency allowed radical ideologies and corruption to take root.

4. Fraud, Accountability, and Law Enforcement

• The discussion condemns light sentences for major fraudsters—particularly those who exploited government programs and then left the country (11:18).
  • “The guy who stole, I think was $11 million... He paid like 300,000 in restitution and was allowed to go back to Somalia.” – Tyrus (11:18)
• Tafoya outlines support for new federal legislation (Deporting Fraudsters Act) to mandate strong punishments and deportation for non-citizen offenders, and withholding federal funds from non-compliant states (11:18–12:22).

5. Michele Tafoya’s Journalism Background and Values

• Tyrus highlights Tafoya’s reputation for impartiality and common sense, not ideological tribalism (01:05–02:34).
  • “You’re not on one side or the other. You're just a common sense, down the line person.” – Tyrus (01:05)
• Personal story: Tafoya recounts how, early in her career, radio management made her use a less-ethnic name, and her father’s pride when she could reclaim her family name (13:04–13:52).

6. Parental Support and Work-Life Balance

• Michele credits her husband’s unwavering support and shares a motivational football story from his family, drawing a parallel to embracing political challenges as “opportunities” (18:05–19:10).

7. Public Education: From Decline to Reform

• Both are vocal about plummeting educational standards in Minnesota; half the students reportedly can’t read or do math at grade level.
  • “50% of our kids in Minnesota can't read at grade level. 50% can't do math at grade level. It is despicable.” – Michele Tafoya (19:46)
• They criticize teacher unions (not teachers individually) for prioritizing ideology over basic skills, and advocate for a return to “teaching kids to think, to read, to do math” (19:41–21:07).
• Both support expanding opportunities for trades, technical, and hands-on training versus the relentless college track (21:14–23:02):
  • “The newest millionaires...will be people that can do things that AI can’t yet... You got a truck and some tools. You are good to go.” – Tyrus (21:46–22:29)

8. On Classroom Ideology and Activism

• Both criticize the rise of activist teachers who prioritize their own narratives over objective education (27:09–28:25).
  • “Teachers have been replaced by activists... It’s all about them.” – Tyrus (27:09)
  • “They need to know how to read a story. That's what they need to do.” – Michele Tafoya (28:08)

9. Civic Accountability, Taxes, and Transparency

• Tyrus proposes that government spending should come with “receipts” so taxpayers can see exactly where their money goes, and asserts that politicians should be held accountable for their campaign promises (35:21–37:07).

10. Work Ethic, Patriotism, and Service

• Tafoya traces her values to a childhood of hard work and love of country:
  • “I've never not worked. That's the kind of work ethic you have to have to run and, and then to...govern.” – Michele Tafoya (37:07)

11. Aspirations for Minnesota and America

• Both emphasize restoring law enforcement credibility, educational excellence, and Minnesota’s reputation—a vision rooted in “doing the work” (39:26–40:04).
  • “This is not some ego project. This is...I love my country so much.” – Michele Tafoya (37:07)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Political Service:
  “This is my chance to serve. That's all that it is. When you see your own state falling out from underneath your feet, you think, okay, might as well start here.”
  — Michele Tafoya (00:30)

• On Minnesota’s Reputation:
  “They mistook Minnesota’s kindness for weakness.”
  — Michele Tafoya (39:58)

• On Public Accountability:
  “If a billion dollars is missing in Minnesota and you're the governor. Come on, stop it. Stop it. You're embarrassing.”
  — Tyrus (09:26)

• On Education Decline:
  “50% of our kids in Minnesota can't read at grade level. 50% can't do math at grade level. It is despicable.”
  — Michele Tafoya (19:46)

• On Teachers vs. Activists:
  “Teachers have been replaced by activists... It’s all about them.”
  — Tyrus (27:09)

• On Work Ethic:
  “I've never not worked. That's the kind of work ethic you have to have to run and, and then to...govern.”
  — Michele Tafoya (37:07)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• [00:30] Michele on why she's running: a personal sense of duty
• [02:44–04:30] Decline of Minnesota's pride and the rise of embarrassment
• [06:39] Tafoya and Tyrus on the mishandling of the George Floyd riots
• [07:45] Welfare and COVID fraud; loss of accountability in government
• [11:18] Outrage over lenient sentencing and the ‘Deporting Fraudsters Act’
• [13:04–13:52] Tafoya’s personal journey with ethnic identity and her name
• [18:05] The inspirational football story from Michele’s husband’s family
• [19:46] The crisis in Minnesota public education
• [21:14–23:02] The value of vocational training, trades, and alternatives to college
• [27:09–28:25] The shift from teaching to activism in public schools
• [35:21–37:07] Taxes, accountability, and what makes Michele relatable
• [37:07–38:32] Tafoya’s work ethic, patriotism, and reflections on America
• [39:26–40:04] Vision: clean up Minnesota and restore its good name

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Episode Tone & Style

The tone remains direct, irreverent, and humorous—reflective of Tyrus’s “straight talk” style, with Michele matching and complementing him with frank, passionate answers. The banter is laced with sports metaphors and personal experience, keeping the conversation accessible while centering on substantive policy issues. Both speakers position themselves as plain-speaking, grounded, and fiercely committed to “doing the work” for everyday Americans.

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Summary Takeaway

Listeners walk away with a dynamic portrait of Michelle Tafoya: not just an accomplished broadcaster, but a passionate Minnesotan and political newcomer determined to combat government fraud, restore educational standards, and “do the work” of public service. The episode offers detailed criticism of Minnesota’s current leadership, a critique of woke and activist agendas in schools, and a strong endorsement of work ethic and common sense. The chemistry and candor between Tyrus and Tafoya keep the discussion engaging and authentic throughout.

Transcript

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[Michelle Tafoya]

This is my chance to serve. That's all that it is. When you see your own state falling out from underneath your feet, you think, okay, might as well start here.

[Tyrus]

A billion dollars is missing in Minnesota and you're the governor. Come on, stop it. Yeah.

[Michelle Tafoya]

I do love people and I love this country. It needs people to step up.

[Tyrus]

All right, all right. I am. Well, you are by far one of the most iconic and most popular one of my all time favorite guests every time you come on the Gutfeld show.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Aw.

[Tyrus]

And I'm joined today by the legendary NFL broadcaster Michelle Defoy and all sports. But I really feel like you became iconic during your interviews then. So you've came on the Gutfeld show a couple times and you know, you don't know, just a couple, just a few, Just, you know, just a sketch. Just. I know we're around 50 maybe, and I was shocked because you just don't. When you see someone who does their job and you always did your job at a high level, no one ever knew your personal thoughts about anything. You were a straight up journalist. And in the sports world, it's even more rare today than in the news world because in the sports world, everyone know is. Knows what they're doing in an expert gm. So that part was refreshing. And then you come on Gutfeld show and we got to see you as a mother, we got to see you as a wife, we got to see you as a businesswoman, and we also got to see you as a problem solver. You have great instincts and you use your experience, but your approach to problem solving and issues is you are one of the very few guests that I could say that it's very hard to know where you're at in terms of like, you're not on one side or the other. You're just a common sense, down the line person. If there's a good idea and it comes from the left, you're for it. Good idea comes right, you're for it as long as it's a good idea. And I think that's one of your strengths.

[Michelle Tafoya]

You're hired. Cyrus, you're hired to now run my campaign. That was beautiful.

[Tyrus]

It wasn't hard because I don't have to remember anything because it's the truth.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Well, you know what? It's a lot of the good ideas these days, let's be honest. Coming from the right, they are. A lot of the crazy ideas are coming from the left. And it's no different here in Minnesota. Know, we've been dealing with. I. I talk to people every day here in. In this state. Tyrus. They're kind of embarrassed to say where they're from. And that's really sad because, honestly, we used to brag about me and Minnesotans. We used to say, you know, people go, how can you live there? It's so cold. And you'd say, you should see it the rest of the year. This place is paradise. It's got great education, it's got great commerce. It's beautiful. Blah, blah, blah. That has all changed in the last 10 to 12 years and maybe a little bit longer than that, certainly under Tim Walls and Peggy Flanagan, who may be my opponent, by the way. And so it's. It's just to watch it decline like that. And. And I've got two kids here that I've raised 20 and 17 now. And I think about their future in this state, and it breaks my heart. And so you gotta do something about it.

[Tyrus]

You got to solve the problem. You literally have boots on the ground. You are a Minnesota. Like, it's not like this is something where you're bored and you need attention. You don't need any of those things. You probably don'. To be honest with you, in terms of, like, the attacks, because you've been such a. I want to hear what everyone's. I'll talk to anyone. I'll work with anyone. And that was your whole career. Not just, like I said, not just in the. In the. As a journalist, but also on the Gutfeld show. You're always toting the line in terms of, let's find the best plan, let's find the best ideal. And you will always equate something to Minnesota folklore. It would be some story about you growing up or some great sport. Like, you were very entrenched in your. In, like, I'm Boston. I wear my hat on TV all the time. Like.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Yes, you do.

[Tyrus]

And you have always represented Minnesota. Is it difficult looking at how much it's changed in. In terms of. It's. Things change. Like, people have different philosophies and whatever, but when you see a massive Woke agenda just fall upon your state with the fraud and with the, the protests, the marches, the burning down of police buildings and just this, this general lack of respect for each other. And that's not a Minnesota thing. That's a.

[Michelle Tafoya]

No, we're supposed to be Minnesota. Nice.

[Tyrus]

That's a woke extreme left agenda. And it's not just hit Minnesota, California, New York, like a lot of the big. But Minnesota was kind of was the one I think was most surprising because you don't think of. And I'm not throwing any shade. I think of Minnesota, I think more of like Midwest. You're, you know, you leave your doors. Oh, I played football games there. I wrestled there most. I mean wrestling is legendary there. The Henning family is three generations of some of the greatest. And, and, and so it was. It's very surprising to see Minnesota on such extreme sides of things because you just never thought of Minnesotans like that.

[Michelle Tafoya]

And maybe that's how it happened. I mean maybe people were so kind of let it. But let it be in live and let live here and Minnesota nice that certain things allowed to. Were allowed to take root. And you know, look the, the all of America, all of the world got to see our governor up close and personal. Tim Walls, Governor Jazz hands, whatever you want to call him and understood maybe how this could happen. There's incompetence, there's a tolerance for it. There's quite frankly an idea, an ideology there. When the George Floyd riots happened, which was really a, a turning point in Minnesota, he didn't do anything for days. Tyrus, if people remember, the governor was nowhere.

[Tyrus]

He had that famous, famous call with the President where he was afraid because it was people holding quote American flags outside of his house. Or he was alleging it was some, I don't know the exact, but I remember the President told the story when he was on Gutfeld.

[Michelle Tafoya]

But so there's that and there's the famous quote of his wife saying she loved keeping the windows open in the governor's mansion because she could smell the tires bur morning. She loved the smell of revolution or of protest or whatever she called it. He's come out lately at this recent no Kings rally and said, yes, we are radicals for decency. We are radicals for, you know, for, for empathy. We are radicals for compassion. It's like, no, you're not, because you gave away everyone's money. The money that was supposed to go to kids and to, to seniors and to the autistic kids was given to criminals. You're allowing boys to come into girls, sports, their spots. You let the police, you just mentioned this. You let the police station burn down. You've kept police officers from doing their jobs and protecting people here in Minnesota. You've let the education in this state which was once great go down the toilet. Shall I go on? No. You, you aren't compassionate. You aren't civil. You've overseen the complete destruction of a once great state.

[Tyrus]

And it's shocking when you look at some of the things that Minnesota is going through in terms of just the fraud, the absolute. I mean, if he's, if he's radical in anything, it's fraud.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Yeah.

[Tyrus]

And how can you stand there and I'm telling you right now, if on my, on my show, this little show right here, one of my guys was, was stealing information from another show and, and was still. And was stealing stuff or robbing guests or telling, or tell them they have to pay to be on the show. And we found out and it went on for a long time. My first thing to do would be, I would step down because it happened on my watch. I would be embarrassed, humiliated, and the person that was involved, I would be leading the charge. There would be no pillow unturned, no rock. I mean, I would be. My sole mission of governor would be to bring everyone to justice. Instead, it's kind of like, well, it happened, you know, we're looking into it.

[Michelle Tafoya]

It happens everywhere. We're looking into it. And, and he is taking credit, by the way, for the people who have been incarcerated or brought to it. It's not his doing.

[Tyrus]

You can't do both. You can't say I didn't know about it and I was leading the charge on arresting him. So. Did you literally in the same, in the same interview?

[Michelle Tafoya]

Well, he, he thinks we're that stupid and he thinks he can get away with this because he's always had this kind of, aw, shucks, I'm a guy in a flannel shirt and I fix cars and we all know better than that. Now there's a lot about this guy and there's a reason he's not running again. He was going to run for a third term. He, Nick Shirley came to town, this young kid took a bunch of video of the leering center and now Tim Walls is in the rear view mirror. But it's still not soon enough because he's still the governor until, you know.

[Tyrus]

Well, I don't even think he's, he's, he's not really. He's just an placeholder, a haha. I like what you did there, I was gonna say he. He's just one of the. He's like a crash test dummy. They're not going to change the messaging. They're just going to switch the dummy out. They'll find someone for the funding the campaign. I mean, it's corruption. Straight. I'm sorry. If a billion dollars is missing in Minnesota and you're the governor. Come on, stop it. Stop it. You're embarrassing. Yeah, you're embarrassed.

[Michelle Tafoya]

That's right. And a former state senator from, or excuse me, a former federal United States senator from Minnesota, the great Rudy Boshwitz has said to me over and over, that sum of money goes missing. It doesn't happen without people knowing. And so none of this claim that you didn't know what was going on, it's just pathetic and it's embarrassing.

[Tyrus]

Yeah. You know what? And I think the worst of it is, is once it's found out, the answers are almost worse than the actual crime.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Cover up is worse than the crime. Right.

[Tyrus]

And then they. And then their solution is more corruption because then they have to form teams of their choosing to investigate the root causes and all the bs, which is the root cause, which is more taxpayer money being taken without just going to the source. And then we're seeing. And I don't know how much of a, as a senator you'll be able to deal with this, but these ridiculously light sentences for the ones who are being caught with fraud. I think the worst one was the guy who stole, I think was $11 million. He paid like 300,000 in restitution and was allowed to go back to Somalia. So basically he's goes back. It cost him basically $300,000 to get 10 million or whatever it was and goes back to Somalia and lives, I guess whatever their version of like a king is, but.

[Michelle Tafoya]

And how much of our money is over there as well? We know that billions of dollars pass through Minneapolis St. Paul International Airport, a big old Delta hub. And we know for a fact that this money left in suitcases and went there. So it's just. It's just beyond comprehension, really. And so, yeah, you know what? I'll tell you one thing that I can do, Tyrus, when I get to the Senate, I'm going to join Ted Cruz and Mike Lee with the Deporting Fraudsters Act. What this says is if you're a guest in this country and you defraud Americans, you will be deported and you will not have a chance to return. Secondly, if you're an American and you Defraud Americans, Americans. It's no longer a light sentence. Slap on the wrist, you know, 300 grand. There will be mandatory minimum prison sentences. And thirdly, that the federal government can withhold money from any state that does not put guardrails in place, that does not have ways to reclaim that money, that does not have very specific rules and regulations within these programs to prevent fraud. If you don't have that, you're not getting the dough.

[Tyrus]

That is. And I love the fact that you're willing. One of the things is rare today, whenever someone is running for office and they're asked for a position on something, you get a very soft answer. And you again, you just hit out of the park like there is no art. Like this is what you stand for. Does that have a lot to do with your career in terms of where you have been? I mean, you, you broke in through radio and you worked in Charlotte, North Carolina.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Yep.

[Tyrus]

And you had a station management pushed you to be an on air name and. Well, yeah, because use their. You had to use their on air name. You were Mickey.

[Michelle Tafoya]

I had to use Conley, which was my mom's maiden name.

[Tyrus]

Yep, yep.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Because Tafoya didn't go over very well in the south then.

[Tyrus]

Wow.

[Michelle Tafoya]

That's what I was told.

[Tyrus]

And.

[Michelle Tafoya]

But Tyrus. But here's the best part. They still, when they had to check their boxes of, you know, who do we have? Affirmative action, all that stuff. Oh, we got a woman and she's Hispanic. Check, check on their little form to the government. But they didn't want me to use

[Tyrus]

Tafoya, which you know what? And they use it now, though. We all know it now.

[Michelle Tafoya]

You know, it was really touching to me that when I changed jobs, when I left Charlotte and I was coming here to Minnesota to do radio and Vikings broadcast, my dad said to me, could you go back to your name? Because that's my name and I'm really proud of you. And I really love that name. And so I did. And. And here we are.

[Tyrus]

You know, and that is, like I said, that is. You are as about as Minnesota in as it gets. I mean, your resume is be the Olympics, Big ten, women's basketball, volleyball, the NFL, Super Bowls. I mean, you were. You were a staple on Sunday Night Football, which is one of the most watched programs on the planet. You know, you've. You've done it all. Was 372 national primetime NFL games.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Yeah. I think it's a record so far.

[Tyrus]

Yeah. Yep. And let's not forget, you know, four Emmy Awards. And I love the humble pie because there's none standing behind you in your thing. I. You know what? I kind of. I think you need to at least put one up there.

[Michelle Tafoya]

You know, you need to let the

[Tyrus]

voters know they're getting a winner. You know, I'm all for a humble pie, but put, you know, I'm not saying move any of the babies, but maybe the rabbit in the back. Maybe you bump the rabbit for the

[Michelle Tafoya]

rabbit was my mom so. Passed away two years ago. I'm not moving the rat.

[Tyrus]

What about. All right, get Jeter out of there. Up in the bookshelf and put the Emmy there.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Leave it to you to find the thing.

[Tyrus]

Oh, that's the thing.

[Michelle Tafoya]

That's.

[Tyrus]

Yeah, I'll find it. I'm all. That's who I am.

[Michelle Tafoya]

That's who you are.

[Tyrus]

Pre snap read is this. I'm checking the field. I love it, but I just. And you've recently, like I said, you've recently became active and recently it's been a few years, but active in Minnesota Republican circles. And January 26th, I wasn't shocked. I wasn't even surprised. I was like, I was wondering when, how long it was before you had had enough. I felt it was a lot like Tombstone, where you're like, you better swear me in.

[Michelle Tafoya]

You know, and exactly what it was like. I was in. I watched the movie the night before. No, I didn't. You know what, Tyrus? It just got to the point where. And I thought about this for a long time and I've been asked by people in the state to run for governor, to run for Senate, to run for a number of offices and, and because I was raising a couple kids and I, you know, I know how you feel about yours. You get real protective of your kids and it just wasn't the right time. This became the right time. My kids are old enough, they're secure enough in their own skin to handle what's going to be really ugly when it gets down to it. My husband and I talked a long time about how this was going to impact the whole family life. He, you know, look, we're going to be empty nesters fairly soon. And he's like, we could just go and do stuff. And. And it was like. But then he realized, to his credit, he said, if you don't do this, you're going to regret it the rest of your life. And I don't want you to regret it the rest of your life, so go do it.

[Tyrus]

And, you know, I'm sure that you can Find some chores for him to do, you know, around, you know, to help you work, you know, look for up some papers or do some research for you. Or he could drive and do security. Oh, you keep him in the loop, you know, keep him busy, keep him working. You make it a team. I mean, you're. You're the senator, though. I mean, he's like, what is that? When the. Would he be the third husband? Was it.

[Michelle Tafoya]

No, because I don't know what you'd be. You'd just be a senator.

[Tyrus]

We'll figure it out when you get there, okay? When you're, when you give your speech, discuss that.

[Michelle Tafoya]

We'll dig into the terminology. You know, he just. I'm gonna let him do whatever the hell he wants to do because the whole time I was working on Monday Night Football and Sunday night, even before that, the NBA, all of it, I was gone so much. And he was always holding down the fort with these two kids from the time they were infants. They. So, you know, and he's got his own career and his own practice, and it is just, you know, he did so much that this guy has carte blanche to. To golf every day of his life if he wants to.

[Tyrus]

Now, how much of it is an advantage for you given, you know, we know, how nasty you can get in the media and stuff, having a strong, supportive marriage, your best friend, clearly you guys have. Have stood the test of time together. You've. You've dealt with the craziness of the life of what is entertainment and reporting, having that. That strength and that basically that teamwork. How much of an advantage does that give you going through stuff? Because there's, there's not going to be a chink in your armor in terms of off the field.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Let me tell you a quick football story about my husband. His dad was the defensive coordinator at the University of Minnesota, and he was there in 1977. The Golden Gophers were going to host the undefeated number one. Undefeated number one Michigan Wolverines here in Minnesota. And his dad went around and my husband was a kid back then, you know, and he was just roaming the sidelines as a ball boy, but his dad told the team everything they needed to hear. And the main thing was this looks daunting and, boom, big and scary. This is opportunity. Let's go find the opportunity in this thing. And guess what? They shut out Michigan and they won that game. Shut them out. Tyrus. Zero points for the Wolverines. So I. My husband told me that story as I was getting ready to get into this he said, yeah, there's going to be ugly stuff. It's going to look big and, and awful. There's opportunity in there. And so that's the kind of guy he is. And it's. I could not do this without him.

[Tyrus]

And that's, I think, again, it gives you an edge.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Yeah.

[Tyrus]

Now, education wise, Minnesota, it historically has been a place where education was usually in the upper echelon.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Yeah.

[Tyrus]

You know, and obviously, unfortunately, in a lot of these cities, we've seen a change. How much of an emphasis is looking into education to make sure our, our third graders are reading, not reading or reading and learning. Not learning to read. You know what I'm saying? Like.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Yeah, exactly. Then they tick you off.

[Tyrus]

As a former teacher and a parent. It drives me insane.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Yes. It drives me crazy. 50 of our kids in Minnesota can't read at gray level. 50 can't do math at grade level. It is despicable. It is. It is unexcusable, particularly when you learn that they're learning all the various pronouns. They're taking courses on, you know, a bunch of nonsense ideological stuff. Sorry. Right. It is. And so rather than teach them critical thinking, teach them how to think, teach them to read and, and do the, the stuff that's going to make them productive citizens. Heck, just. They ought to be able to read a credit card statement and understand it. Right.

[Tyrus]

Yeah. They should be able to pay a

[Michelle Tafoya]

bill and they should be able to read a ballot and they should be able to do all of these things. But no, because of the, I think, despicable relationships with the teachers unions. Notice I say unions, not the teachers. Yes, the unions. And, and these unions in the way that they support these awful policies. Yeah. Our education system has, has dropped significantly. It's. Maybe there are very few things that make me as mad as that. My mom was a schoolteacher her entire career. I went to public schools my entire career and, or my entire life. And I, and I learned. I learned to read, I learned to do math. And, you know, it's, it's. You can't get away from it here.

[Tyrus]

No.

[Michelle Tafoya]

I can't tell you how many people now are homeschooling their kids here in Minnesota.

[Tyrus]

50 of my kids are homeschooled. You know, I think it's a good thing. Yeah. And it is because of the, the time. And while I have you on the thing, there's been a lot of. There's been a lot of rebirth and a lot of exciting talking about trade schools and stuff. We're getting, getting, getting home ec Wood shop.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Yes.

[Tyrus]

Metal shop. Driver.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Auto mechanics.

[Tyrus]

Auto mechanics. Wood shop. Get. Band, music. Pe. Getting. I think we, we need to make sure our kids have a path.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Yeah.

[Tyrus]

That has forks in it.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Yeah. Oh, that's a great point.

[Tyrus]

You know, and that's. Well, it's a point that we share because we've discussed it ag nauseum. Everything that we're talking about right now is not stuff we have not talked about in the green room and things like that. Like so. And, but the newest millionaires, especially with AI and everything that's coming is going to be people that can do things that the AI can't yet, which is, you know, you're an electrician. You're, you know, all the things that you all. Anything you could do with your hand. A plumber. I mean, architect. There's a million. There's those jobs. And here's the thing, once you get your license, you're good to go. You're your own boss.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Yes.

[Tyrus]

You can have your own business. You got a truck and some tools. You are good to go. You're not going to end up in four years in a university with a gender studies degree and a student loan of 350,000 over your head.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Yeah.

[Tyrus]

Going for a job that doesn't exist.

[Michelle Tafoya]

You know, I remember a time where it was like everyone was expected to go to college.

[Tyrus]

Yes.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Like you got to go to college,

[Tyrus]

you were a failure. If you weren't, let's just be honest, you didn't go to college. You would hear, I'm the first one in my family go to college. Like, because the rest of them couldn't do it. I was the special one.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Right, right. And, or, you know, I remember, I can remember President Obama saying, every kid deserves a college education. Well, that may be, but does it? Does every kid deserve that student debt? Does every kid deserve a dead end job? What about kids who just do want to work with their hands? I know some personally who have been very successful who never went to college and now are working in auto mechanics and making and on their own living the life. Because this is what they chose. They decided, you know what? I don't want to go to college. I want to work with my hands. We don't have enough of that. And as Mike Rowe often talks about, and I love his effort on this, we need people to do those jobs. We need welders, we need plumbers, we need electricians.

[Tyrus]

Yeah, welders. I think there's a million job openings for welders in this country. A million.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Is that right?

[Tyrus]

It's like across the board electricians. Like, I mean you would.

[Michelle Tafoya]

All these. These AI. These data centers that they're going to need to build.

[Tyrus]

Exactly.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Going to need these people.

[Tyrus]

They're going to be naming their price.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Yeah. Good for them.

[Tyrus]

You know, and you'll like this. Even though it's so I was last super bowl, the one where the Chiefs got murked by the Eagles. I did an interview with Lawrence Taylor. Right. And I talked to him a few times before, but he had his grandson with him. And I was like, who is this young man? And we're supposed to be talking, you know, about his career. And I was talking to a lot of NFL legends who are. They're still talking about and they haven't played in years and I think that's. But his grandson's going to. Was following his footsteps. He was going to North Carolina. He was going to play with Belichick, I think free safety or something like that long kid. And he was talking about, you know, getting ready for school. And I said, do you have a backup plan? You know, I always ask that at football. Kids, you always have to ask because I was always asked that.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Yeah.

[Tyrus]

And he's like, well, yeah, I. I'm a certified electrician. I did that in the summer. I. I literally was like, is it okay? I had to get a second chair. I'm sorry, boss, but we gotta. Well, this. This kid's a unicorn. I wanna. You know, and he was. Lawrence was so proud as a Grant. He was like, yeah, my. Like he's got it.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Yeah.

[Tyrus]

So he's gonna go play ball with a reckless. And. And college with a reckless abandon.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Yeah.

[Tyrus]

And in the back of his mind, he's set. No matter.

[Michelle Tafoya]

He's gotta fall back.

[Tyrus]

Yeah. Because it. It's a. We've. Like I said, we. And it's our own fault. We've put so much emphasis on entertainment and playing and things that less than a blink of an eyelash of us get to actually, it's like, what's less than 1% here are things where you just got to do the work and. And see it through and it's there for you.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Yeah.

[Tyrus]

And was. Is that something. Are you gonna push. Push to the. For actual programs for things like that?

[Michelle Tafoya]

Yeah, I think. Because I think as we see, it's kind of this interesting puzzle. You want kids, young kids, educated so that they can, I mean, for God's sakes, at least read, right?

[Tyrus]

Well, understand what they're reading. Yeah.

[Michelle Tafoya]

And they can understand what they're reading. Kids can I get so passionate about this because I think of all kids.

[Tyrus]

Yes, you do.

[Michelle Tafoya]

I think of kids in every zip code in Minnesota, in America. And I think there is absolutely no reason that we should not be fulfilling the promise of public education. But we screwed it up. We have screwed it up. So we have to find other ways. But I still think even if kids. Yeah. If we open these more trade schools or promote these trade schools or other paths, I still want kids to be able to read. I still want to be able to add, you know, that should not be a negotiable when you go on in life. And there's a part of me, Tyrus, that thinks kind of that some of this is by mad evil design. Like, let's dumb up this next.

[Tyrus]

Well, if you're dumb, you don't question things.

[Michelle Tafoya]

That's right. You don't question. And then you have to rely on other people and namely the government.

[Tyrus]

And we had, like I said. And this is, this is not a Minnesota thing. This is just a curriculum of the, of the western world where teachers have been replaced by activists.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Yes.

[Tyrus]

So we've have, we have activists in the schools now, not teachers. Because. And the biggest thing. And you can tell if someone's an activist or not because it's very, it's all about them.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Yeah.

[Tyrus]

I, I never knew my religious, my teacher's religious beliefs, political beliefs or who they went to bed with.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Right.

[Tyrus]

I think it was like occasionally once in a blue moon, we would have a special day at school.

[Michelle Tafoya]

School.

[Tyrus]

And one of the husbands of one of the teachers carried in, brought the big box of cookies or muffins that, you know, the cupcakes that was made the next night or, or if we had a man teacher, his wife would come bring the cupcakes or whatever and that. And it was like a unicorn, like. Is that your wife? Yes, it's my wife. And then go back to your studies. You know, it wasn't like, oh, and this is who we are. And we're, you know, we're two, we're vegans and you know.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Right.

[Tyrus]

You know, it's like none of that,

[Michelle Tafoya]

you know, it's not relevant to a child's education and this notion that, well, they need to know my story.

[Tyrus]

They don't.

[Michelle Tafoya]

No, they don't.

[Tyrus]

No, no, they don't.

[Michelle Tafoya]

They need to know how to read a story. That's what they need to do.

[Tyrus]

Exactly.

[Michelle Tafoya]

And so this idea that, that you're right. That is such a self interested position by a teacher.

[Tyrus]

Yes.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Oh, it's all about Me. They need to know about me in order to be an effective learner. No, they don't. They don't.

[Tyrus]

No.

[Michelle Tafoya]

So you're absolutely right on that. They are activists. I have some people in my life, young students. I know a lot of young students through my kids, and one of them has been telling me about a course she's in where all they talk about is how dreadful America is, how horrible a human being George Washington is, how awful billionaires are. Just everything is bad. And I'm looking around these days and, you know, my dad was an aeronautical engineer. He contributed to the space program way back from the very beginning, from the first Apollos. And I'm watching Artemis 2 and I'm going, this is awesome. And this should be like in. Every teacher in elementary school should be bringing the TVs in and showing these kids what's going on. Also the rescue of that second airman in the middle of Iran. I can't. I mean, I am so proud and impressed by the, by what our, our armed service people did in Iran. And I. And yet the kids are being told, this is awful, this is wrong, it's unnecessary, blah, blah, blah.

[Tyrus]

Exactly.

[Michelle Tafoya]

When Biden was in office, they were just saying, yeah, Iran bad, can't have nuclear weapon. But now we've changed presidents and suddenly the perspective changes.

[Tyrus]

Well, the activist feelings got hurt.

[Michelle Tafoya]

That's right.

[Tyrus]

And you know, and that's something that's going to be a struggle because, you know, everything from boys playing and girls sports and all these things and, and these are all pretty much common sense things that we've all known for a really long time. There's no new science that's come out. There's nothing that's changed from the time that we first started walking upright. There is significant differences between men and women. Physically, men we have the advantage. Mentally, I would say women are smarter.

[Michelle Tafoya]

I'm not going to comment on that.

[Tyrus]

Well, yeah, I'm just saying, uh, but there's. It's the give and take and it's the weaknesses and our strength when we work together that makes everything go. And I think there's just been an attack on that by people who basically, I think they're unhappy or they, they're just, they, they, they didn't go into teaching to teach. They went into, they went into it because it was there for them. It was an opportunity, you know, and then they start pushing their stuff and there's a lot of narcissism in the teaching world. And that is probably the worst thing. You cannot have A teacher who only believes in their point of view.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Right.

[Tyrus]

You're not. You're not a teacher anymore. You cannot teach. Like I. I was a history teacher. Right. Answers are in the book. Okay. But when I tell the story of how the Mayflower came to the United States, there will be. Half the class will think, oh, this is great. And then the other class will be like, oh, well, what do the Indians think? And the other class will be like, oh, I don't care. Because neither one of them is on Monday night Raw. So, you know. But that's not for me. Well, you're wrong. No, no, it's. Tell me why you think. You know. Tell me why you think. Yeah, what's your. Let's have a debate. And then you do this. I remember my teachers do this thing. If you felt strongly about one thing, like, say. Like, say I was in the fifth grade and I got a MAGA hat on, and I'm like, I'm maggot out. And the other kid is unburdened by what has been had. Although I don't think one was ever made. But I'm just saying I would make them take the opposite side. All right, MAGA guy, you now work for the Democratic Party. All right, Kamala, you now work for the MAGA party, and you'll now debate. You force them to think outside the box. Think outside their own stuff, because that's the. The how you learn. And maybe they. And I'm not trying to change their minds. I'm trying to open it.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Y.

[Tyrus]

Because maybe the other side that you're being told is bad and the opposite of you wants the same things. It's just a different way of doing it or different way of seeing it, or you do disagree on things. And guess what? Breaking news.

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[Tyrus]

It's okay.

[Michelle Tafoya]

It's okay.

[Tyrus]

Agree to get along. Yes. And we can grow from it and understand and learn from each other. And it's that we got away from that with the two worst A's in teaching absolutism. And people who are advocates for a cause or themselves, and it's usually all of themselves, it's always the activists have taken over. We moved away from it and it's become the activists. But I'm hoping what with Ms. McMahon's doing with the Education Department, basically getting rid of it and returning the power to the states, as a senator, I would assume you would be in favor of that. So you can make sure.

[Michelle Tafoya]

And it doesn't mean that there's. That they're cutting off funding. It means that funding goes to other channels. And so for everyone. I just want to remind people, too, because every time that. So let's say the budget's here and it's scheduled to go up here, and people say, the senators or Congress people say, you know what? We want to keep it down here. They call that a cut. Even though it's a maintenance thing.

[Tyrus]

Right.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Because it's not going to here and it's staying down here. They call that a cut. And I just realized I was looking a lot like Gavin Newsom just there.

[Tyrus]

No, no, because you're actually. Your hand signals fit the conversation, so you're good.

[Michelle Tafoya]

That's true.

[Tyrus]

That's true.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Yes.

[Tyrus]

Yeah. You were saying cut and you were showing me the level.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Yes, they.

[Tyrus]

Now, if you were Gavin, you would just. While you're doing that, you'd be doing the YMCA thing.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Yeah, ymca, yeah.

[Tyrus]

And like clicking it.

[Michelle Tafoya]

But the. That is so dishonest, this idea of cuts and rolling granny off the cliff. I mean, we're a great nation and we are going to continue to take care of our most vulnerable. But the fraud and the inability to prioritize our dollars and it's, it's. I. It's almost like politicians long ago saw this huge influx of money when taxes started to go up and they went, whoa. And people were willing to do that. Well, let's just hike it up another half cent. And that. Whoa. And people were willing to do that. Let's just, let's find another place to hike it up, just another half cent. And on and on it's gone. And they've just put it toward pet projects. And I've seen it with my own eyes, even on the city level, you know, this language of just, we're cutting, we're cruel. No, no, no. It's about finding the right way to steward our Americans. Money, all of our.

[Tyrus]

And showing where it's going. And that's one of the biggest things, is they never want to do that.

[Michelle Tafoya]

No, they don't. Because if you submitted your Taxes, Tyrus. I think it'd be great if you submit your taxes in return, you get a receipt for all the things you help pay for. You'd start to think real, real carefully about who you're electing.

[Tyrus]

Exactly. Or the fact that. Or we need to start putting everything to a vote. We got the like everything. If your senator is not doing what you need them to do, like you elected him. Like I'm electing you because you're going to work your butt off to keep our electric bills down. And the first thing you do when you get into office is you side with the electric company lobbyist. You just sold us a bill of goods and you didn't live up to your expectation. There should be something to where if your camp. You should be held accountable for campaign promises. Like, you know, or at least be able to show, show the work. Like, hey, I'm doing everything I can.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Yeah, yeah.

[Tyrus]

But whenever we ask because we have to, we get audited all the time. We got to show our receipts. They look at us. They judge us. All this, all this. And if you do it wrong and if you miss something, you go to jail or pay heavy fines. We need to turn that mirror around on the Senate and the House and the presidency and things like that and see the thing. You are a candidate who has no problem. You didn't flinch. You didn't say, well, hold on, Tyrus. You have to understand how this whole thing. Because you're, you are somebody who's actually had boots on the ground. You've, you've, you've come from humble beginnings. You've built a monster career. Then you've switched again bouncing at the same time. You have a wonderful marriage. You got great kid like you are encompass the American dream. You dealt with a little bit of controversy. You didn't take your ball and went home. They made you have a change your name and then when you got to a position, you changed it back. Like these are things that I think everyday Americans can relate to. You're one of us.

[Michelle Tafoya]

You know, it's just. And it's all been about hard work from the, from pretty much the time I could walk. I have worked. I've never not worked. Tyrus. I started working as a kid on my block. You know, can I water your plants while you're on vacation? Can I take care of your dog, whatever. Then I had a paper route. Then I was scooping ice cream at 31 flavor and it on and on. And I've never not had a job, not ever. And it's just that's the kind of work ethic you have to have to run and, and then to go ahead and try to govern and, and that. And you're. You said it earlier. I. This is not some ego project. This is not because I need another job. This is not any of that. This is. I love my country so much. My dad told me when I was little I was a lottery winner for being born here. And he was right. And I love my country. And since 911 I've felt that this country is. Is fragile. A little more fragile than I realized. And so I've paid very, very close attention. I've read a ton of history and I encourage people to do that because the history of this country is amazing and the people behind it are remarkable and so do that. It's really entertaining too, by the way. And so this is my chance to serve. That's all that it is. And when you see your own state falling out from underneath your feet, you think, okay, might as well start here.

[Tyrus]

You know what's refreshing is the whole time we're having this conversation, not one time did you bring up the fact that you're a minority or you're a woman. You just talk irrelevant about what the work that needs to be done, you know, and I don't know if you have a campaign slogan or not, but like I feel like it should be do the work. Just, you know, do the work. I'm here to do the work. And there's. And here's what we're going to do because you have done the work. I have the transcripts, you know, and I'm supposed to. And this is the thing. It's so easy to talk to you. I feel bad because my guys broke their back to write all these questions and stuff and I'm like, oh, but just I. We don't really need to go into all that because you're just a plain talking adult running for office to deliberately try to make help. And you've established that you're focusing education and make. And getting. And supporting our. Get law enforcement.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Yes.

[Tyrus]

Respected and back on track and just cleaning up Minnesota's good name. I think that's, you know, a priority because Minnesota has, I think a lot of the whole state has been condensed into this one issue.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Yeah.

[Tyrus]

Or these one. Like that's the, the fraud is. Doesn't represent the state of Minnesota. It represents an embodiment that people. A parasite really, that as you said, mistook Minnesota's kindness for weakness.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Yeah.

[Tyrus]

And they didn't. They didn't understand that Tafoya was going to have to handle that.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Well, we're gonna try. We're gonna try really, really hard. We're working our tails off. And. And I will tell you this, everywhere I go, north, south, east, west. So is Greg really that short?

[Tyrus]

Yes, he is.

[Michelle Tafoya]

And yes, the answer is always yes. And is Tyrus really that tall? Yes, he is. And why won't Tyrus come to Minnesota? Well, we're going to. We're working on it.

[Tyrus]

Oh, it's like I said, we are a mom and pops. The Tyrus Live tour, which, by the way, ironically, I'm supposed to be packing. I'm leaving right now. Oh, no, no. I started, but I'm leaving today to start my tour. And when they were like, hey, we can get to foyer now, or we'd have to wait two weeks. And I'm like, oh, no, no, hell no. So. Because I think it's important. One, I'm not a big fan of politicians, and I think that people like me because of that. And I'm quick to. If someone's full of it, I have no problem going after them. And then there's the people who are generally trying to do something to. To use your years of experience. And again, here's the thing you want in a politician. You want someone who's a winner, right? But we always have to take their word at it. And you have the resume to back it up. Doesn't matter what it has been in. And this is not. This is not if there was something issue ish or there's a problem with it. I want to talk about it, but I think there needs to be more people that have built success, have gotten to a point in their life where you don't have to do a thing. You could go golf with your husband or just spend more time with your family. I mean, you get bored. But I'm just saying you don't have to do a thing, but you're hearing a calling. You have the experience, you have the knowledge. And you also, you're tough as shit. You're tough like you are. You don't take shit. You dealt with a bunch of dudes looking like me mad because they lost the game. You know what I'm saying? And you didn't.

[Michelle Tafoya]

I guess coaches at halftime, coaches at

[Tyrus]

halftime that are furious and they don't want to talk to you.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Tyrus]

And also coming up in the ranks, when you were coming up in the ranks, when you were dealing with the. Before the Internet, before the MeToo movement, you know, where you were like, oh, we're going to change your name and all this and that. And he's a woman. And we're going to like you persevered and kicked ass through all of that. So when you see someone coming to you and with, you know the difference between somebody who's virtue signaling and being a victim and someone who's afraid to be like, yeah, I don't care what the door is or how many locks are on it, I'm getting through this damn thing.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Yeah.

[Tyrus]

And I, I think you're an embodiment in that. And I think there's a lot of. And it's not just women people, but of your particular. You're unique. But we need to start having people who have done positive, successful things. That's the leadership we need in this country. Not someone who's picked because how they look or how many followers they have on TikTok.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Right.

[Tyrus]

You know, we've seen that and now it's, it's nice that people who normally aren't political. I would never categorize you as political at all. I think you're more people person.

[Michelle Tafoya]

I love people. I do love people and I love this country. And it needs, it needs people to step up and like you said, do the work and, and put the country first. I mean there is something bigger than each of us, Tyrus. And I know you know this. We, we tend to be really self centered in life and in some cases it's really important. It's a survival mode. But at other times I look and I think this country, it's this, the idea of this country is bigger than any one of us. Any one of us. And it's important to preserve all of the things that it stands for, all of the freedoms that it protects and not accept these politicians who want to run our lives, who want to interfere with our lives, who want, who want to put constraints on businesses, who want to tell us how to, how to make choices, who want to make us dependent on them, quite frankly. And who want to demonize really hardworking business people who happen to have done very well because they took massive risks.

[Tyrus]

And you are the polar opposite of that because you want everyone who puts in, everyone who puts their best foot forward does the work. They should have the rewards. That is Amen the beautiful. Because this is the only country where you can start from nothing. Get something, lose it, get it back, lose it again. Get it back, get it back. Because there's the one thing about this country and I think you represent that is opportunity. And I wish you the best in this opportunity.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Thank you, Tyrus. Thank you so much.

[Tyrus]

I cannot wait to say Senator Tafoya. That's going to be cool. That's going to be cool. I'm making a prediction now. I think it's going to be a landslide. I feel good. I'm. Hey, I'm pretty good at this stuff. I'm just.

[Michelle Tafoya]

You are. You are.

[Tyrus]

You're talking and people are listening. And again, when I. Oh, no, no. A couple months. What? No, no, month. As soon as I get back in tour, I want to. I want to. I want to get some stuff. And here's the deal. I'll be fair. I will more than happy, allow your opponent to come on here. I can't say it's going to be the same thing because I'm going to do research and not everyone's transparent like you. Very rare, but I'm a thousand percent for it, so.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Okay, I'll let them know.

[Tyrus]

You let them. Hey, anytime.

[Michelle Tafoya]

I'll let them know.

[Tyrus]

But our. My platform is your platform anytime. Thank you for being here.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Have a great tour, man.

[Tyrus]

Yes.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Kill it.

[Tyrus]

And you, roll those sleeves up and get ready to clean up Minnesota. Oh, they're already up. So I'm talking about. This is what I'm talking about. All right, till next time, Sam.