The Case for Governor Tim Walz for Vice President
As Midwesterners, we believe Tim Walz should be in the first tier of consideration for Vice President. Governor Walz uniquely complements Vice President Harris’ strengths. He has a strong progressive record, authentically speaks to key Midwestern and rural voters, and is an extremely skilled messenger and tireless campaigner and surrogate against MAGA. This makes him a devastating counterpoint to JD Vance while not creating new divisions or liabilities for the President Harris ticket.
- Walz delivered for Minnesota working families with the strongest track record of accomplishments of any Democratic Governor – by far (see his unparalleled “Minnesota Miracle” record below). And his commitment to “Make Minnesota the best place to raise a family” aligns with VP Harris’s agenda around the caring economy, protecting reproductive freedom, mitigating gun violence, strong public education, child tax credit, universal school meals. Governor Walz accomplished this agenda in a purple Midwestern state.
- Walz is the ONLY candidate who would both bring extensive Executive and Congressional experience. It’s important for a VP not to have to learn either executive management or DC on the job!
- Walz has a humble Midwestern rural background: A former high school teacher and football coach, he has 24 years in the army national guard. He grew up in a small town in rural Nebraska, attended a regional branch of a state college, and previously worked in agriculture and manufacturing. In congress, he represented a deep red district in Southern Minnesota for 12 years. He knows rural America intimately.
- Walz has extensive military experience. He is one of only two sitting democratic governors to have served in the military, and the highest- ranking enlisted soldier to ever serve in Congress, and serves as commander-in-chief of the Minnesota National Guard.
- Walz is trusted in Washington on national security. Appointed by President Trump, and reappointed by President Biden, he serves as co-chair of the bipartisan Council of Governors, advising the President and the Cabinet on homeland security and national defense.
- Walz can powerfully describe the impact of GOP policies on Midwestern towns and small cities, and his personal history and record of accomplishment is a powerful contrast to Vance’s racist fake populism.
- Walz is known as kind, humble, empathetic, good-humored, good to work with, and is respected by peers. He was elected Chair of the Democratic Governors Association and known as a “party-builder” who supports state Democratic parties nationwide.
- Walz has a very strong pro-labor record. Governor Walz, as a high school teacher, was a long-time member of Education Minnesota, has strong relationships with labor unions and is considered the most pro-labor Governor in Minnesota’s history.
- Walz is well-liked across the aisle, working with Republicans. He listens and seeks to find common ground, while never compromising with their sometimes extreme agenda.
- Walz is a great communicator: He’s disarmingly plain spoken, charming, gaffe-free, and lands devastating, memorable punches in a cool, calm and collected way. In the last week, his media appearances have gone viral, especially his line about MAGA Republicans: “These guys are weird!”
- Walz knows how to play offense with Republicans. On the campaign trail and while governing, Walz goes on offense against racial dog whistles, anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim rhetoric using race/class messaging. Winning two state-wide races in Minnesota during the Trump era, he has created a political strategy to put MAGA on defense.
- Walz will be motivating to the Democratic base. With his ambitious agenda, impressive legislative accomplishments wrapped up in a football coach and dad persona, people fall in love with him. There will be memes.
- Walz has the fewest potential downsides. He has no known personal skeletons, major drawbacks, or divisive stances that might depress Democratic base enthusiasm (eg. Israel/Gaza policy, charter schools, etc).
- He would not deprive Democrats of a seat and would be replaced as Minnesota Governor by Peggy Flanagan, an accomplished Native American Lieutenant Governor. In fact, his partnership with and elevation of this talented leader is virtually unprecedented – he knows how to support powerful women.
- Peggy Flanagan would be the first Native Woman Governor and could be an incredible surrogate in Native communities from Wisconsin and Michigan to North Carolina to Arizona. Someone could vote for President Harris and also be supporting a highly qualified Native woman Governor!
- Minnesota shares a border with Wisconsin. The district he represented in Congress for 12 years is part of the driftless region which includes Western Wisconsin and a set of swing counties on either side of the border in the St. Croix River Valley. Much of Western Wisconsin is in the Twin Cities’ media market. With Whitmer removing herself from consideration, he’s as close as we’re going to get to a Midwestern swing state governor who can help deliver Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania and NE-2.
- Walz and his wife Gwen have spoken movingly about their reliance on IVF. It is rare to see a male politician speak with such clarity and passion about reproductive healthcare. The Star Tribune wrote,”Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz recalls with vivid clarity the day his wife Gwen called him crying. Trying to start a family, they'd been going through fertility treatments at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester for seven years. Each time they hoped for good news, only to be told the treatments hadn't worked."I said, 'Not again,'" Walz recalled. "She said, 'No, I'm pregnant.' It's not by chance that we named our daughter Hope."
- Walz is a gun owner and hunter but very strong on gun safety reforms and speaking to the issues of gun violence. He proudly talks about beating his Republican colleagues in Congress in marksmanship competitions.
- He has proven himself a steady hand in a crisis–COVID. During the early weeks of the pandemic, the Governor’s daily presentation press conferences were watched by Minnesotans hungry for real information and comfort–the opposite they were hearing from Trump in Washington.
- He has proven himself a steady hand in a crisis–Civil Unrest Following the Murder of George Floyd. Republicans would obviously try to weaponize civil unrest in Minneapolis in 2020 against him, but he was, in fact, calm and decisive in the heat of that crisis. Minnesotans recall that order was restored only after the Governor took charge and deployed the state national guard. Walz also stepped in and took the prosecution of Derek Chauvin away from the County Prosecutor and he handed the case to Attorney General Keith Ellison who was then able to successfully prosecute the case.
Tim Walz Track Record as Governor
As a purple-state Midwestern Governor, he delivered so many results for Minnesota’s working families that the 2023 state legislative session was dubbed the ‘Minnesota Miracle.’
In a little over 100 days and with a one vote Democratic margin in the state senate, Governor Walz signed into law an incredible and extremely popular package of policies including:
- Paid Family and Medical Leave
- $1 Billion dollars investment in affordable housing
- Abortion rights codified into law
- 100% Clean Energy by 2040
- Over a billion for climate justice, environmental justice programs including scaled lead pipe removal program
- A massive Labor Rights Package: banning non-compete language, refinery safety bill, warehouse worker safety bill, banning mandatory audience meetings and other worker protection and pro-labor laws.
- $3.5 billion investment in K-12 public education
- $1 Billion Dollars for Early Childhood education, including a new teacher compensation program.
- Path to a Public Option for MN Care (Public Health Insurance Program)
- Universal school meals for every K-12 student in Minnesota
- Free public college for families making less than 80K/yr
- A broad criminal justice reform package
- Restoring the right to vote to 50,000 formerly incarcerated people
- Drivers Licenses for immigrants
- Land Back to Tribal Nations
- Legalized adult-use Cannabis
- A Child Tax Credit
- A Renters Tax Credit
- A down-payment assistance program for homeowners.
- $100 million in middle class tax cuts
- A new tax on corporate profits
- Earned Sick and Safe Time
- Inclusion of Undocumented Immigrants in MNCare and Public Benefits
- Automatic Voter Registration
- Pre voter registration for 16- and 17-year-olds.
- Voter Protections and Expansion of Early Voting and Vote By Mail
- Background Checks and Red Flag Laws
- Made Minnesota a Trans Refuge State
- First Governor in Minnesota history to visit all of states’ Tribal Nations; established the first office charged with government-to-government relations with sovereign nations
- Conversion Therapy Ban for LGBTQ youth
- $500 million a year of new money for public transportation
- Juneteenth official state holiday
- Extended unemployment insurance benefits to laid off miners
- Green Bank with $40 million initial capitalization.
More on Walz communication and public profile
It’s Halftime Minnesota Ad - MUST WATCH
Best State to Raise a Kid:
Gov. Walz announces $12 billion package meant to make Minnesota the "best state for kids"
Going on Offense:
Minnesota Gov. Walz draws sharp contrasts with red states | AP News
Walz boasts accomplishments, blasts Republicans in state address – The Minnesota Daily
National Impact:
Opinion | More on the ‘Minnesota miracle’ - The Washington Post
White House looks to Minnesota as a model for infrastructure, paid leave and climate policies
MN had 19% uncommitted voters in the primary. Walz skillfully messaged around this moment supporting the party in a way did not further alienate voters calling for Ceasefire: Gov. Walz says Minnesota’s 45,000 uncommitted voters are ‘civically engaged’ | MPR News
Examples of Governor Tim Walz quotes:
“I’ve seen some of my fellow governors on TV — they find a lot of time to be on TV — and I hear them talking about ‘freedom.” But it turns out what they really mean is that government should be free to invade your bedroom, your children’s locker room, and your doctor’s office.” –2023 State of the State Address
“It’s amazing what you can accomplish when you stop complaining about corporations going woke and start giving a damn about real people and real lives,”
“There is no such thing as a ‘generic Republican.’ These guys are just weird. Once they start running the weirdness shows up.”
“They are running for the He-Man Woman Hater’s Club.”
On the need for government: “How are you going to build a water treatment plant in a town of 400 if you don’t have a collective effort? They scream socialism, you know what? We just build roads and we build schools and we build prosperity into it. Their whole plan is to go backwards and give tax cuts to the wealthy.”
“They see people less fortunate as scapegoats and punchlines for their jokes. We see them as neighbors.”
Note: This memo was the collaborative creation of an ad hoc group of national, midwestern and Minnesota community and labor organizers - without coordinating with Walz. We just want to win!
Note: This memo was the collaborative creation of an ad hoc group of national, midwestern and Minnesota community and labor organizers - without coordinating with Walz. We just want to win!