12 Aug Why Walz for the Big Dance?
Kamala Harris selected Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her vice-presidential running mate last week, and people have been asking me about him. Because I long ago made the most difficult of all transitions – from a birth Hawkeye to a trans Gopher – my out-of-state readers may think I know old Timmy personally. I don’t.
Nevertheless, I have indeed followed Walz’ political career closely since he came to lead my adopted state. Better yet, I do have a friend who has known Tim Walz for 45 years. Tim and my friend were two of the 22 graduates in the Class of 1982 in Butte, Nebraska. I have interviewed my friend to learn what the future politician was like back then.
Therefore, you can ignore everything you have read in other publications or heard on TV. The real scoop on the Governing Gopher follows below.
He’s Really Liberal Now
It tells you a great deal about our times when a politician can become nationally famous for little more than labeling his opponents as “weird.” On the surface, that appears to be the way Tim Walz catapulted to the top of Kamala Harris’s dance card.
“He’s just a strange, weird dude,” Walz said of former President Trump. “These guys are just weird,” Walz added, expanding his assessment to cover both Trump and J.D. Vance (the Republican nominee for vice president), and possibly others. “We’re not afraid of weird people. We’re a little bit creeped out, but we’re not afraid.”
But Governor Walz is no one trick pony. His real credentials are as a midwestern governor, a veteran of more than 20 years in the Army National Guard, a former teacher and coach, and, importantly, as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 2007 to 2019.
Politically, Tim Walz ran for Congress on his everyman biography and as a moderate, if not somewhat conservative, Democrat in Minnesota’s rural First Congressional District (which covers most of southern Minnesota). In Congress, he was reasonably reasonable and bipartisan. He was endorsed by the National Rifle Association. That all helped him win the gubernatorial nomination and statewide election in 2018.
Halfway through his first term as governor, covid happened, and, as with many facets of our world, covid changed everything about Minnesota politics. During covid, Walz was among the many state governors who were quick to use emergency measures to close businesses and churches, mandate vaccination for certain jobs, and require schools to teach online.
Fast forward to now. If someone called him a “big-government liberal,” Walz this week admitted he would be “more than happy to take the label.” He has no other choice, given his record in St. Paul.
Running Minnesota’s government since 2019, and especially after his party won full control of the legislature in 2023, Walz has supported and signed numerous bills that moved the state even further to the left:
- Offering free school meals for K-12 students, regardless of need
- Permitting abortion without limitation, up to the point of birth
- Spending the state’s entire $17 billion budget surplus in 2023
- Requiring paid family medical leave, funded by new payroll taxes
- Mandating 80 percent carbon-free electricity by 2030 and 100 percent by 2040
- Making Minnesota a refuge for all seeking gender transition, including outsiders and youths
- Allowing convicted felons to vote once they are released from incarceration
- Adding “red flag” laws and universal background checks for gun transfers
- Legalizing recreational marijuana
- Giving undocumented migrants driver’s licenses, along with taxpayer-funded health care and college tuition
“One person’s socialism is another person’s neighborliness,” Walz also said recently.
As For His School Record. . .
At Butte High School circa 1982, there was absolutely nothing weird about Tim Walz, my friend (his classmate) tells me. Tim was popular, as the picture of him as Homecoming King above attests. He played on the football and basketball teams, participated in student council, yearbook staff, etc. The only dramatic thing about him was that he was a member of the school’s traveling drama group.
Tim Walz was funny and a joker in school but not the “class clown” type. He was “laid back” and “chill” – to the extent that was an adjective in the early ‘80s. He was friendly and intelligent, although he gave no signs of being a future politician. He enrolled in the National Guard at the age of 17 to help pay for college. (His county was the poorest in Nebraska.)
He was a normal high schooler. If my buildup led you to expect something scandalous, I apologize.
Why Walz
My assessment is that Kamala Harris chose Tim Walz as her dance partner for the same reason Donald Trump chose Mike Pence in 2016. That is, whereas Pence was to appeal to the conservative and Christian wings of the GOP, Walz will appeal to the progressive wing of the Democratic Party. Like the 2016 Mike Pence, however, Tim Walz accompanies his ideological record with a persona as an unpretentious, solidly rural midwestern person who will not drive away independent, undecided, or moderate voters. I’m sure Vice President Harris even hopes Governor Walz will appeal to some “middle” voters as a veteran, gun owner, football coach, and school teacher. That’s why.
Written by Quentin R. Wittrock, founder of Principle Based Politics.
Look for his posts each week, as this blog will explore and promote the idea of principle in politics, both as to individual elected leaders and our federal government as an institution.
Principle Based Politics does not endorse or support any particular political candidate or party.
Sam Arsell
Posted at 16:50h, 13 AugustI think that the quote about socialism and neighborliness is taken out of context a bit. He’s specifically talking about how people can come together even if their politics differ, not endorsing socialism as a political framework. Here’s what he said immediately before that quote:
“…look, I got a Florida Man as a brother. We all have him in our families, but these are our neighbors and our relatives, and at heart, they’re good people. They’re not mean-spirited. They’re not small. They’re not petty like they hear on stage. They’re angry, they’re confused, they’re frustrated, they feel like they got left behind sometimes. But we can get out there, reach out, make the case.”
Pat Walls
Posted at 17:03h, 13 AugustI’ve never been convinced that a VP pick mattered in any election, however, I was quite surprised she picked Walz over Shapiro. She is going to win MN no matter what. Only Biden could have lost MN. With Shapiro, I think she would have put PA in her column. With PA in her column, it becomes almost impossible for Trump to win. She caved to the special interests who didn’t want a Jew and a strong supporter of Israel on the ticket. That is very telling as to how a Harris administration would govern. Adding a “weird” liberal (abortion until birth?!?!?) as VP truly makes me concerned about a Harris administration.
DKnight
Posted at 18:58h, 13 AugustEverybody is wierd. Our Governor’s policies are definitely on the leftist side–regardless of his past country upbringing. Policies, policies, policies. I wish we could forget personalities and focus on policies. Many politicians possess the ability to get elected to high office–very few of them have the second part–the ability to act benevolently and wisely for the benefit of the electorate. Lincoln, Washington, Churchill—-definitely not Gov. Walz or VP Harris.
Paul Silseth
Posted at 22:21h, 13 AugustAgain, you write a good article. I am beginning to wonder though if you are one of those who feels “ Strongly Both Ways”
I am not sure you stand for anything. Maybe you do. I wish we were on the same side, maybe we are, I guess my side could use some good writers laying out the reason to vote for our side. I will be voting for Trump and all on the right, not happy about a lot of it, but, we may not be the best, but we are better than the rest
Quentin
Posted at 01:36h, 14 AugustWhat I stand for is principles, largely based on the Bible, Declaration of Independence, and Constitution. Things like morals and leadership, as well as the governing principles like limited government and freedom. See my website. If either “side” overlaps with those principles, I support that. I definitely don’t pick a side and follow it regardless of its manifest principles.
Jeff A Newell
Posted at 20:13h, 14 AugustRegarding Gov. Walz, one of the primary duties of a governor is to ensure the safety of citizens and property in the state. Far left activist Mayor Jacob Frey was begging for help as he knew the chaos that was going to occur but Governor Walz waited several days before calling in the National Guard. While hesitating to send in the National Guard Governor Walz threw the Guard under the bus by stating, “I don’t think the Mayor (Frey) knew what he was asking for….I think the Mayor said, ‘I request the National Guard, whew, this is great. We’re going to have massively trained troops.’ No. You’re going to have 19-year-olds who are cooks.”
As a result, Minneapolis suffered $500 million in losses consisting of 1500 properties damaged or destroyed. Ironically many of those affected the most were the most vulnerable (low income and minorities). Many business owners, who catered to the community, were devastated by the riots and many never returned. To top it off, the politicians decided to allow the 3rd Precinct of the police dept. to fall, apparently believing that if you allow criminals to destroy a police precinct, they’ll be satisfied and just go home. All this did was to give criminals the green light to do whatever they wanted in the future. Minneapolis continues to struggle with crime.
I live in Iowa and if the Governor of Iowa allowed Des Moines to be destroyed like this I would expect the Governor to be removed from office. I have to question how good Walz’s leadership skills would have been, while serving in the National Guard, had his unit been attacked. If Kamala Harris and Tim Walz become President and Vice President, and the U.S. is attacked by and adversary, will they wait several days before doing anything about it?
Laurie Bergren
Posted at 23:22h, 14 AugustThis Minnesotan thinks Governor Walz is a great human being and has done a fantastic job leading Minnesota. He’s also a fiscal pragmatist. While his policies may seem “far left” on the surface, they make sound economic sense. As an example, you mentioned free school lunch “regardless of need.” The fact is, it costs less—FAR less, actually—to just give all the kids free lunch than to do means testing to make sure no one gets something they might not be entitled to. (Since you also mentioned being guided by the Bible, I would submit it may be worth remembering that Jesus didn’t do means testing with the loaves and fishes either.
I also agree with the earlier commenter who pointed out that Walz’s “neighborliness/socialism” quote was taken out of context.
Harris picked Walz, not to gain Minnesota’s electoral votes (which are going to be hers in any case), but for his appeal to Midwesterners and Southerners, blue collar workers, and others who traditionally voted Democrat until the neoliberal policies of the Clinton Administration managed to completely alienate organized labor. Josh Shapiro’s talents would be wasted in the VP position, but (just my personal prognostication) he will make a fantastic Attorney General. He will also deliver Pennsylvania for Harris.
I can understand that not everyone will embrace all of Harris’s or Walz’s policy positions. People agree to disagree on specific issues all the time. What I absolutely CANNOT understand is how anyone can still support, let alone vote for, a candidate with no moral code other than his own self-enrichment, behaves like a toddler, lies constantly, has no policy positions at all (that’s no exaggeration—the Republican Party LITERALLY chose to have ZERO policy positions in 2020, and that same decision was made again for 2024), is hostile to women’s reproductive rights, intentionally stirs up irrational hate against marginalized populations, encourages neo-Nazis and other white supremacist extremists. considers himself above the law, perpetuates dangerous and utterly debunked falsehoods about election integrity, tried to remain in power after losing the last election by fomenting an insurrection—during which PEOPLE DIED because of his irresponsible actions, and (arguably the worst thing of all) is too stupid and self-absorbed to realize that he’s a Dominionist tool. I could go on, but I’ve made my point and anyone who isn’t convinced by any of that will NEVER be convinced.
And speaking of self-serving liars and frauds: J.D. Vance.
In short, there is NO comparison between Trump/Vance on the one hand, and Harris/Walz on the other. Trump/Vance can be counted on to serve themselves and their friends in the billionaire class while they step on the rights of everyone else. Harris/Walz may implement some policies that rightwing pundits may not agree with, but whatever actions they take will be in the best interest of ordinary Americans, and they won’t shred the Constitution in the process.
Kathy Grussing
Posted at 14:26h, 15 AugustPerhaps you assessment should also cover some of the things he has done as our Governor that are very positive. For me, ensuring a free breakfast and lunch to school age kids is huge. Those are the only meals some of those kids will get. Our state did not have nearly as many Covid deaths as neighboring states. His initial response to George Floyd was slow. But, he has worked to bring together disparate groups to find a way forward from that tragedy. He protected a woman’s right to chose and made Minnesota the only state among our close neighbors where that right is protected for women. He is a veteran with 24 years of service. He was a public school teacher. He hails from a small rural town.
Quentin
Posted at 15:36h, 15 AugustNot sure if you are commenting on my original post or one of the subsequent comments, Kathy. Either way, thanks. Regarding the George Floyd and Covid responses, I don’t see those as “policy” issues, which were the focus of my main section. Regarding our Governor’s biographical facts, I did set those forth. My goal was not to be judgmental regarding any of it. It was to be informative. It is interesting that some people are taking the “very liberal” fact as an insult and some (like Walz himself) as a selling point.
Ranette Holmseth
Posted at 13:25h, 19 AugustAs a Christian, I would never vote for Walz as his policies and what he has done in Minnesota are totally against biblical values and principles. I believe as Christians, we must stand up against and speak up for biblical values! He separating the sheep and the goats!