Minnesota Democratic Governor Tim Walz has seen his national profile soar after becoming one of his party’s most vocal critics of Republicans amid upheaval in the presidential race.
Walz, who leads a state with a tendency towards the Democrats that former President Trump hopes to turn around this fallattracted nationwide attention When he called the former president and his vice presidential candidate, Ohio Senator JD Vance, “weird,” he prompted other leading Democrats to take up the same line of attack.
He is also one of several Democratic governors being discussed as possible running mate for Vice President Harris. Although some observers believe she is more likely to choose a swing-state candidate such as Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro or Arizona Senator Mark Kelly, Walz is drawing attention and building a national brand with his outspokenness.
“When there’s a lot of noise, I think this type of communication can stand out and reach voters quickly,” said Abou Amara, a Minnesota lawyer and Democratic strategist, adding that Walz’s rise to stardom is no surprise.
“I think his ability to connect with a wide variety of people across the democratic spectrum has long been known to the people of Minnesota, but now the whole nation is starting to recognize that,” Amara said.
Walz, a veteran and former high school teacher, represented southern Minnesota rural 1st Congressional District in Congress for six terms win the governor’s seat in 2018. He fended off a Republican challenge in the midterm elections, Securing a second term by around 8 points, and now leads the Association of Democratic Governors.
He has “a folksy charm and a really solid track record,” said Democratic strategist Martha McKenna, but he “had no national profile at all a week ago.”
But Walz’ Branding of the Republicans as “strange” has prevailed and brought him into the national discussion as the so-called Veepstakes Conversations swirl. At her first fundraiser as likely Democratic presidential candidate, Harris uses the same language to criticize Trump and Vance – as well as Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (DN.Y.). on CBS.
This approach represents a notable departure from the usual approach of Democrats, who attack Trump’s candidate as an existential threat to democracy.
“As a teacher, I see a lot of things… People keep talking about, ‘Look, Donald Trump is going to endanger women’s lives.’ That’s 100 percent true. ‘Donald Trump is potentially going to end our constitutional freedoms, end the right to vote.’ I believe all of those things are real possibilities. But it gives him way too much power,” Walz said. said on CNN’s “State of the Union” when asked about his viral clips.
The governor of Minnesota also went on the offensive after Trump criticizes Fox News for hosting him last week, adding to recent moves that observers see as an audition for the watchdog role as vice president.
“Trust this small-town guy: Donald Trump knows nothing about rural America.” Walz said“That’s why he’s going to lose Minnesota. And Wisconsin. And Michigan. And Pennsylvania.”
Walz “talks to voters like they’re his neighbors. And I think that’s why the ‘weird’ comment has caught on,” said Democratic strategist Tim Hogan, the former communications director for Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar’s presidential campaign of Minnesota. “And I think that’s why he’s experiencing the surge that he’s experiencing.”
Walz, along with a handful of other prominent Democrats, is being considered in the race to join Harris in the 2024 presidential candidacy.
The top politicians of the swing states such as Shapiro and Kelly are considered the most promising candidates when the Democrats try to win in key states in the fall.
Minnesota has voted Democrat in presidential elections for decades, but Trump has mentioned Minnesota as a potential swing vote, and polls before President Biden left office showed him and Trump neck and neck in the state. New polls on Trump and Harris are pending.
Amy Koch, a political strategist and former Republican majority leader in the Minnesota state Senate, said she viewed Walz as a grave contender to work with Harris because of his ability to both strengthen the North Star State and represent a broader Midwestern coalition.
“Minnesota, Wisconsin – he brings a kind of Midwestern flair that goes beyond Minnesota,” Koch said.
Walz could also serve as a “progressive antidote” to Vance, who is harking back to his small-town roots, Amara said. In the last year alone, Walz signed Gun safety initiatives, Legalization of marijuana for recreational utilize And Protecting reproductive health into Minnesota law.
Walz has not said whether he has received audit material from the Harris campaign, but told CNN over the weekend that “certainly an honor” be mentioned in the discussions with the Vice President.
Representative Angie Craig (D) from Minnesota has approved him for the role.
The clock is ticking as the Democratic National Convention approaches in August – and the Democratic National Committee expects Harris select their Vice President by August 7.
