Minnesota State Wire

Jason Lewis, a former Representative of Minnesota, said that Democratic policies on gender and marijuana contribute to social disorder, crime, and homelessness. The statement was made on the social media platform X.

"So the Mpls trans-shooter lamented how ‘gender and weed f***ed up my head,' but MN politicians are doubling down on both," said Lewis. "What is it about social disorder, crime, drugs & homelessness that Democrats love so? Really, how many victims do they need?"

In 2024, Minnesota lawmakers engaged in debates concerning public safety, marijuana legalization, and gender policies. According to MPR News, Republicans warned of potential risks associated with cannabis use and school gender rules. Meanwhile, Democrats advanced an Equal Rights Amendment that included gender identity and finalized regulations for adult-use cannabis. These disputes mirrored broader partisan clashes over crime and social policy.

According to the Minnesota Reformer, preliminary data from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension showed a decline in homicides statewide from 181 in 2023 to 165 in 2024. This decrease was accompanied by reductions in other violent and property crimes. These figures suggest that overall crime fell even as marijuana legalization was implemented, countering claims of a surge in criminal activity.

Minnesota's homelessness count rose by 9.6% to 9,201 individuals in 2024. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) reported an 18% increase nationally, with more than 770,000 people homeless across the United States. Advocates pointed to housing shortages and costs as key drivers rather than state marijuana or gender policies.

Lewis represented Minnesota’s 2nd Congressional District from 2017 to 2019 after a career as a conservative talk radio host. During his time in Congress, he served on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and focused on tax reform, regulatory rollback, and health care policy.