St. Paul Reporter

Max Rymer, a commentator and former political candidate from Minnesota, shared a series of posts on X in mid-September 2025 reflecting on recent events involving political discourse and violence.

On September 12, 2025, Rymer referenced Utah Governor Spencer Cox’s remarks with the post: "Governor Spencer Cox… immensely impressive in this moment. 'Words are not violence. Violence is violence.'"

The following day, September 13, Rymer commented on a past event and its changing perception over time: "At the time it happened, it was scoff-worthy. 'Well, that was strange,' was my response and the response of most of my Republican colleagues in the Minnesota legislature. It feels a lot less funny after the past few months/past few days."

On September 15, Rymer addressed reactions to the death of Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman: "No one celebrated the death of Melissa Hortman. No one justified it. No one wished death upon people who philosophically aligned with my colleague. The last two days have been instructional about who we are as a country…"

Rymer's comments come amid heightened national debate about political rhetoric and its relationship to real-world actions. His references to Governor Cox echo broader discussions around distinguishing between speech and physical acts of violence—a topic that has seen renewed focus following several high-profile incidents across U.S. politics.

Melissa Hortman served as Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives and was known for her leadership within state government prior to her passing.