Breaking: Leading Republican Candidate for Governor Drops Out In Protest of ICE and Trump

Summary

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The Parnas Perspective – Episode Summary

Episode Title:
Breaking: Leading Republican Candidate for Governor Drops Out In Protest of ICE and Trump

Host: Aaron Parnas
Guest: Alex Boris (Candidate for Congress, NY-12)
Date: January 26, 2026

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Episode Overview

This urgent episode unpacks a seismic shift in Minnesota politics as Chris Meddell, the leading Republican gubernatorial candidate, announces his withdrawal from the race. The cause: a public and principled protest against the current actions of ICE in Minnesota and the Trump-dominated trajectory of the national Republican Party. Host Aaron Parnas delves into the ramifications for the upcoming Minnesota governor’s race, broader national reactions, and the evolving intra-party dynamics sparked by recent ICE controversies and the killing of Alex Preddy. The conversation transitions into a revealing interview with Alex Boris—a congressional candidate and former Palantir employee—who shares insights on ICE, tech industry complicity, and progressive policy.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Chris Meddell’s Withdrawal: A Political Earthquake

• Announcement and Reasons ([00:00]–[03:00]):

  • Chris Meddell, a front-runner for the Republican nomination for Minnesota governor, abruptly withdraws from the race, protesting ICE’s actions and the rightward drift of the Republican Party.

  • Meddell’s departure leaves an unconventional field, with Mike Lindell, the "MyPillow guy," as the current top contender.

  • Meddell’s statement emphasizes the fear in communities of color due to ICE operations and criticizes national Republicans’ focus on “retribution,” making them "impossible to support" for statewide office.

    “United States citizens, particularly those of color, live in fear. United States citizens are carrying papers to prove their citizenship. National Republicans have made it nearly impossible for a Republican to win a statewide election in Minnesota.”
    — Aaron Parnas, quoting Chris Meddell ([01:30])

• Ramifications for Republicans in Minnesota:

  • The Republican Party faces a leadership vacuum and an electoral disadvantage that could become insurmountable with Klobuchar expected as the Democratic nominee.

2. Democratic Regret and National Political Backlash

• Tom Suozzi’s Statement ([03:15]):

  • Democrat Tom Suozzi publicly regrets his recent vote to fund ICE following the death of Alex Preddy and labels the event a “murder.”

  • Suozzi expresses remorse for not recognizing the DHS funding vote as an implicit endorsement of ICE’s—and by extension, the Trump administration’s—abuses.

    “I failed to view the DHS funding vote as a referendum on the illegal and immoral conduct of ICE in Minneapolis. I hear the anger from my many constituents, and I take responsibility for that.”
    — Tom Suozzi, via Aaron Parnas ([03:20])

• Bipartisan Condemnation:

  • Even Mike Pence acknowledges failures over recent events, signaling a rare, if limited, consensus on the severity of ICE’s actions.

3. In-depth Interview: Alex Boris (NY-12 Congressional Candidate)

Candidate’s Platform and Personal Journey

• Abolishing and Prosecuting ICE and Allies ([04:57]):

  • Boris commits to not only abolishing ICE but also prosecuting agents and administration officials involved in unlawful acts.

    “We need to abolish ICE. And I would go one step further. We need to prosecute the clearly illegal actions... That makes the entire Trump regime complicit. That means Stephen Miller. That means Kristi Noem. That means President Trump.”
    — Alex Boris ([04:57])

Tech Industry Influence & Personal Ethics

• Big-money Ad Buys & Palantir Connections ([05:20]-[06:44]):

  • Alex Boris is the target of a major attack ad buy funded by Trump’s top donors, including Palantir co-founder Joe Lonsdale.

  • Boris worked at Palantir under Obama, focusing on VA and DOJ projects. He parted ways in 2019 after Palantir shifted to supporting ICE deportations under Trump.

    “I left Palantir in 2019…when Palantir decided to renew that contract, I quit and I put my principles over my career advancement and substantial financial resources.”
    — Alex Boris ([05:57])

  • Boris clarifies he never worked on ICE-related projects; in fact, he refused requests from the Trump administration to do so.

• Investigating Former Employers ([06:49]–[07:13]):

  • Hosts and Boris discuss congressional oversight of contractors like Palantir; Boris vows to scrutinize all corporate and governmental enablers of ICE abuses, including his former employer.

    “When you see people being just executed on the street, shot in the back, shot in the face by federal agents, how could you see that and not demand a full investigation? And that means every company and every person that's involved in getting to that place.”
    — Alex Boris ([07:13])

• Accountability for DHS Leadership ([07:42]):

  • Boris supports impeaching Kristi Noem and others for their role in enabling abuses, arguing that only systemic reform—including abolishing ICE—can address the root problems.

    “She has been incompetent to keep Americans safe from the start…those instructions have often been to violate Americans' rights. Yes, she absolutely needs to go now.”
    — Alex Boris ([07:57])

District-Specific Issues and Policy Positions

• Why Boris? On Trump, Tech, and Targeted Opposition ([08:40]):

  • Boris claims to be uniquely targeted by Trump-aligned mega donor PACs due to his legislative accomplishments, notably passing advanced AI safety laws despite federal resistance.

    “We can all say we're going to fight Trump, but Trump and his cronies have made clear who the one person is who they fear.”
    — Alex Boris ([08:40])

• Addressing Affordability and Cost of Living ([09:32]):

  • Boris advocates an “all of government” approach. His legislative record includes:

    • Removing federal obstacles to affordable housing.
    • Advocating for universal childcare and Medicare for all.
    • Tackling consumer costs through state reforms on subscriptions, telemarketing scams, AI “bot” abuses, and doctor fee caps.
    • Awarded “most effective new legislator” in NY by Center for Effective Lawmaking.

    “We need active legislators that will look at all of the ways that costs are going up and fight back against them.”
    — Alex Boris ([11:05])

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Quote | Speaker | |-----------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------| | 01:30 | “United States citizens, particularly those of color, live in fear...”| Chris Meddell (via Aaron Parnas) | | 03:20 | “I failed to view the DHS funding vote as a referendum on the illegal and immoral conduct of ICE in Minneapolis…” | Tom Suozzi (via Aaron Parnas) | | 04:57 | “We need to abolish ICE. And I would go one step further. We need to prosecute the clearly illegal actions…” | Alex Boris | | 05:57 | “I left Palantir in 2019…when Palantir decided to renew that contract, I quit and I put my principles over my career advancement and substantial financial resources.” | Alex Boris | | 07:13 | “When you see people being just executed on the street… how could you see that and not demand a full investigation?” | Alex Boris | | 07:57 | “She is now a hollow suit, just waiting for instructions from Donald Trump. And those instructions have often been to violate Americans' rights. Yes, she absolutely needs to go now.” | Alex Boris | | 11:05 | “We need active legislators that will look at all of the ways that costs are going up and fight back against them.” | Alex Boris |

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Key Timestamps

• 00:00–03:00: Breaking news—Chris Meddell drops out of Minnesota governor’s race; implications for GOP.
• 03:15–03:45: Democratic regret over ICE funding; Suozzi’s statement.
• 04:57–11:18: Interview with Alex Boris on ICE, Palantir’s role, accountability, and affordability policy.
• 11:18–end: Episode close.

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Final Thoughts

This episode dramatically illustrates how federal immigration enforcement is reshaping politics at every level—from campaigns upended in Minnesota to unexpected reckonings among centrist Democrats and public calls to prosecute sitting and former administration officials. The conversation with Alex Boris provides a rare insider look at the intersections of tech, politics, and public accountability, with clear policy solutions rooted in both principle and legislative experience.

Listeners come away with a nuanced picture of American political fissures in real time, and a spectrum of responses to abuses of state power—from grassroots retreat and regret to proactive reform and resistance.

Transcript

[A]

We have major developments right now that you need to know about. The leading Republican candidate for governor in Minnesota just came out and said, I'm not running anymore. I'm dropping out of the race. Why? In protest of ice? In protest of Trump? In protest of national Republicans. Now Republicans in Minnesota are scrambling to find a candidate to possibly challenge, who we expect is going to be Amy Klobuchar on the Democratic side. Their candidates left. Right now, the leading candidate is Mike Lindell, the former MyPillow guy. This is serious. You have a leading Republican candidate saying, I can't do this anymore because what ICE is doing in my state is too toxic for me to run as a Republican. We're going to get into that. Meanwhile, Democrats who previously voted to fund ICE earlier last week are all coming out and saying, we regret this vote. We regret this vote. Even calling Alex Preddys murder a murder. A major development. Make sure to like, comment, share and subscribe like this. The more you like, the more gets pushed in the algorithm. Please consider supporting my work by subscribing to my substack. Click the link below. Look at this. Look at this. This is from a leading candidate for governor. The Republican Chris Medell Modell launched his campaign on December 1, quickly rose from a relative political unknown to a top contender for the Republican nomination. He was one of the leading Republican candidates. And now Chris Meddell has ended his candidacy for governor of Minnesota because, quote, United States citizens, particularly those of color, live in fear. United States citizens are carrying papers to prove their citizenship. National Republicans have made it nearly impossible for a Republican to win a statewide election in Minnesota. He goes on to say, quote, I cannot support the national Republican Party's stated retribution on the citizens of our state, nor can I count myself a member of a party that would do so. That is significant. He said that he originally supported ICE efforts in Minnesota, but now the effort has expanded far beyond its stated focus on true public safety threats. This is a major development. I say that repeatedly because now you have Republicans who are running to represent, to lead Minnesota saying, I can't do this anymore. And it seems as though he's even potentially willing to leave the Republican Party itself over what ICE is doing in his own state. This all but ends any opportunity for Republicans to win the governor's mansion in Minnesota, which was already a long shot, but it's not going to happen now because the nominee on their side is likely to be Mike Lindell and Amy Klobuchar, the current senator who's expected to run for governor. I expect that to be a clean sweep. But at the same time, take a look at this. This is a statement from Tom Suozzi, a Democratic congressman. He voted to fund ICE last week. Now he says, quote, I failed to view the DHS funding vote as a referendum on the illegal and immoral conduct of ICE in Minneapolis. I hear the anger from my many constituents, and I take responsibility for that. I have long been critical of ICE's unlawful behavior, and I must do a better job demonstrating that. He then goes on to call Alex Preddy's death a murder. Folks, I can't overstate how big of a deal this is. Tom Suozzi is one of the most centrist Democrats. You would never see a statement like this coming out of his mouth. Now, here's the thing. Am I excusing the fact that he just voted for ICE funding? Absolutely not. And in fact, his vote should have been very different before. But even the fact that they're willing to come out and say, listen, I made a mistake, that just shows you exactly where we are as a nation. Even Mike Pence, the former Trump Vice President, came out today and said, you know what? We need to do better because what happened in Minneapolis was horrific. Major developments happening right now. I actually just sat down with Alex Boris, who is running for Congress in New York's 12th congressional district. Why did I sit down with him? A couple reasons. Number one, I want to make sure that any future candidate knows what they're talking about when it comes to ICE and holding this administration accountable. And he says he's willing to abolish ICE and prosecute the ICE agents who are committing these atrocities. That's number one. But number two, the reason why I want to talk to him and why you're going to hear it is because he used to work for Palantir. Palantir is one of the companies behind this mass surveillance sweat that ICE is building. And he says he's willing to even investigate his own. His former bosses. And he left Palantir because of what they were doing with ice. So pretty significant stuff happening right now. Make sure to, like, comment, share and subscribe. Support my work by subscribing to my substack. Click the link below. Here is my interview with Alex Boris. Excited today to be joined by Alex Boris, who's running for Congress in New York's 12th congressional district. Now, I really just want to get right into it because we've all seen the horrific videos of the murder of Alex Preddy this past weekend. A big topic of conversation is ICE funding and what you would do if you were in Congress today? I just got to ask you, if you were in Congress, would you vote to fund ice? ICE increase funding or keep funding at its current level?

[B]

No. In fact, we need to abolish ice. And I would go one step further. We need to prosecute the clearly illegal actions that are being conducted right now by ICE agents and by the administration that is defending them. I mean, they are clearly lying about what we can all see with our eyes. And that makes the entire Trump regime complicit. That means Stephen Miller. That means Kristi Noem. That means President Trump.

[A]

Now, you have made some headlines over the past few days because a major new ad buy was made against you by what you say is a Palantir co founder. Is that correct?

[B]

That is. There is a super PAC made up of Trump's largest mega donors. It includes Joe Lonsdale, who is a co founder of Palantir, Marc Andreessen, who gave 5.5 million to Trump's reelection, and Greg Brockman, the president of OpenAI, who in the second half of last year was literally Trump's largest mega donor. He gave $25 million to Trump super PAC.

[A]

Now, if I'm not mistaken though, didn't you work at Palantir at some point in your career?

[B]

I did, and they just released an ad criticizing me for it, which is ironic coming from a co founder of Palantir. I left Palantir in 2019. I joined during the Obama administration and worked on the Department of Veterans affairs to better staff their hospitals, worked with the DOJ to go after the large banks that caused the Great recession and recover $20 billion for taxpayers. But when Trump came in, he started using it for nefarious ends. And I left paler in objection to the work that was going on at ice, which had transformed from doing human trafficking work and drug trafficking work to helping with deportations. And when Palantir decided to renew that contract, I quit and I put my principles over my career advancement and substantial financial resources.

[A]

Well, so I want to ask you a little bit more about that. While you were at Palantir, did you work on any ICE related projects?

[B]

Never. I never touched the ICE work and in fact, I led the work at the Department of Justice. And the Trump administration asked us to work on immigration matters and I flat out refused.

[A]

Now, I think a lot of people are concerned over the amount of money that's been flowing into ICE coffers via government contracts to companies like Palantir. If you were in Congress today, would you probe and Investigate your former employer.

[B]

I would look at all spending that ICE is doing. I think we are seeing rapid criminality that is occurring on the streets and anyone who is a part of that needs to be part of the investigation. So, yes, when you see people being just executed on the street, shot in the back, shot in the face by federal agents, how could you see that and not demand a full investigation? And that means every company and every person that's involved in getting to that place.

[A]

Now, I do have to ask you, taking a step back, if you were in Congress today, would you hold Kristi Noem and other Department of Homeland Security officials accountable to the extent of potentially even impeaching Christine? Is that something that would be on your agenda here?

[B]

Absolutely. And not to say that that is a full solution. You need to obviously eliminate ICE and have deeper reforms. But yes, she has been incompetent to keep Americans safe from the start. She is now a hollow suit, just waiting for instructions from Donald Trump. And those instructions have often been to violate Americans rights. Yes, she absolutely needs to go now.

[A]

You're running in New York's 12th congressional district. This is a very, very hotly contested primary in the sense that you guys. I feel like everyone In New York's 12th congressional district is running for this seat. Why are you at that?

[B]

One candidate who doesn't even live in New York, 12th district. So.

[A]

Yeah, well, so. So I want to ask you, I guess, why are you the best candidate to represent New York's 12th on the Democratic ticket?

[B]

This is a primary where everyone is claiming to fight Donald Trump, but I'm the only one that Donald Trump's donors are fighting back against. He made an executive order to stop states from doing any regulation of AI whatsoever. And I was able to push past that and pass the strongest AI safety bill in the country over his objections. That terrified him and his donors. And so his mega donors have committed $10 million specifically to defeating me. They've named me public enemy number one. And so we can all say we're going to fight Trump, but Trump and his cronies have made clear who the one person is who they fear.

[A]

Now, if you were in Congress today, stepping aside from ICE and the Department of Homeland Security, another issue that is really plaguing a lot of New Yorkers and just generally is affordability. What would you do to ensure that costs go down for those in your districts, but also folks across the country?

[B]

This requires an all of government approach. You start with the biggest cost that people face, and that's housing and health care and child care and you make sure to remove obstacles the federal government has put in place to providing some of those things and directly fund where you can. So that includes getting rid of the restriction on government building public housing. That should surge money into communities in order to ensure that we are building more and also that we are preserving and protecting affordable housing. There's a big push in New York State to provide universal childcare. We should be doing that nationwide. And when it comes to healthcare, we need Medicare for all. That is the only way to have universal coverage for everyone and to make sure that people have that protection. And also government needs to get big things done, but we also need to get small things right and we can go and tackle all of the ways that Americans are currently being nickel and dime that make it harder to survive. It's one of the things I've done a lot in the State Assembly. I passed a bill that gave New Yorkers the right to cancel any subscription the same way that they sign up to for it. I passed another bill that raised the fine on telemarketers and reduced the scams that are coming to New Yorkers. I passed another that banned these bots that were buying restaurant reservations, selling them on a third party marketplace and then fit and sell, canceling hurting our restaurants and making it harder for New Yorkers to go out to eat. And I just this week passed another bill that put a cap on fees that insurance companies put on doctors that end up getting passed down to consumers. We need active legislators that will look at all of the ways that costs are going up and fight back against them. And it's because of work like that that the center for Effective Lawmaking made me the most effective new legislator in New York.

[A]

Alex Boris, thank you so much for joining me this afternoon.

[B]

Thanks for having me.

[A]

Hey folks, thanks so much for watching. Feel free to add this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or anywhere you watch for the latest breaking news and daily hits throughout the day. Make sure to follow subscribe. See you soon for more.