OPINION

How ‘Midwest Nice’ Minnesota Became Ground Zero for Leftist Violence and Fraud 

Jack Fowler •   January 30, 2026

Traditionally, Minnesotans, by virtue of their Scandinavian heritage, are known for being well-mannered and having good governance. However, over the past few months, the idyllic poster boy for “Midwest nice” has been completely upended following a string of high-profile, taxpayer-dollar fraud controversies, raids against peaceful church services, and violent altercations between leftist protesters and federal immigration officials.

Daily Signal Senior Editor Tyler O’Neil joins Jack Fowler on this podcast episode of “Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Works” to walk through his own original investigative reporting behind the anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement protest from within Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, last week and the tone-deaf responses from local Democrat officials.

Subscribe to Victor Davis Hanson’s own YouTube channel to watch past episodes.

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Jack Fowler | Contributor
Jack Fowler is the co-host of The Daily Signal podcast "Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words."