When Minnesota Governor Tim Walz appeared on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” last week and denounced Donald Trump and J.D. Vance as “wackos” (part of his latest media offensive), the line of attack quickly gained traction among Democrats.
Chief among them was de facto presidential candidate Kamala Harris, who just days later began using the same language in campaign messages against her Republican opponent, including at a fundraiser in Massachusetts on Saturday.
That simple phrase quickly highlighted why Walz, a popular two-term Midwest governor, former congressman, military veteran and former public school teacher, was suddenly on the short list of potential running mates for Harris.
But Waltz’s allies, friends, current and former colleagues say his savvy, down-to-earth personality is just one of the traits that make him uniquely suited to be the Democratic vice presidential nominee.
They say Walz, 60, has a relatable personal story, as well as the track record of representing rural areas the party needs and a track record of progressive policies.
These Democrats argue that Walz’s track record and record will translate to broad support in key nearby “blue wall” states like Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania — something most other vice presidential candidates cannot offer.
“If you’re looking for a candidate who’s well-rounded in terms of life experience and who’s going to bring that life experience to the administration along with a long list of proven successes in solving problems for middle-class and American families, Tim Walz has a pretty impressive resume,” said former Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, who became a close friend during Walz’s time in Washington, D.C.
She added that Walz makes voters, especially those in the upper Midwest, feel like they “know that guy” and that he gives them “the comfort that comes with a shared human experience, a shared lived experience.”
Veteran, teacher, and red-district Democrat
A Nebraska native, Waltz enlisted in the Army National Guard at age 17 and served at home and abroad for more than 20 years before working as a high school social studies teacher and football coach in Mankato, about 80 miles south of Minneapolis, before entering politics.
In 2006, he ran for and was elected to Congress in a largely rural, agricultural district in southern Minnesota. He represented the 1st Congressional District for 12 years and had been the only Democrat representing a generally Republican-leaning district that stretches across the southern part of the state for almost three decades.
“He has a great ability to reach out and connect with voters in small towns and rural areas of the Midwest, that’s where he’s from and that’s where he’s lived. [representing] “As a member of Congress, I welcome constituents like them,” said Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minn. “They are the ones we need to do more with as Democrats. We need to show that we understand what’s going on in their lives, that we understand we should work to make their lives better.”
Smith and others say Walz’s ability to succeed is centered on his service in the Army National Guard — making him the highest-ranking retired non-commissioned officer in Congress when he took office in 2007 — and his track record as an advocate for veterans’ issues in the House of Representatives.
“Tim was just a historic congressman,” said former Rep. Patrick Murphy, who represented Scranton, Pennsylvania, before serving as undersecretary of the Army under President Barack Obama. Murphy, a Democrat, entered Congress the same year as Waltz, and the two shared a small apartment as freshman.
“He was my partner in repealing ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,’ and he wrote most of the post-9/11 veterans’ security legislation,” Murphy said. “And he was winning. [in] “It’s a district that Democrats don’t usually win.”
Harris’ current list of running mates includes state governors, seeking to balance the field with voices from outside Washington, and Walz, who became chairman of the Democratic Governors Association last year, has built a powerful network of influence in several states.
But he also has 12 years of congressional experience to bring to the White House.
“Think about what Joe Biden brought to Obama: essentially all the relationships in Washington,” said Rep. Angie Craig, a Minnesota Democrat who has openly supported Harris picking Walz. “Biden has all the relationships with members of Congress, including those on the other side.”
Progressivism and the appeal of the working class
Minnesota has consistently seen Democrats dominate statewide in recent elections, but Republicans are also competitive.
Still, Governor Walz has overseen the enactment of many progressive priorities in his second term as governor, especially with Democrats controlling both houses of the state Legislature.
He signed legislation protecting abortion rights, legalizing recreational marijuana, restricting access to firearms and providing legal refuge for transgender young people whose access to gender reassignment and other medical care is limited elsewhere.
“He has a progressive base that has broad appeal across the Democratic base,” Craig said.
Walz also enacted several pieces of legislation that are pro-farmer and pro-working class, including bills to expand paid family leave, ban most non-compete agreements, provide universal school lunches to students, expand public child care assistance programs and cap insulin prices in Minnesota (three years before Biden did the same nationally).
“If you want to give an example of Democrats succeeding, particularly on working families and economic issues, he has a great story to tell,” said Jeff Blodgett, a St. Paul-based Democratic strategist who served as campaign manager for the late Sen. Paul Wellstone and as state director for both Obama campaigns.
“Walz will give the candidates real weight when it comes to the economic arguments they want to make to voters,” Blodgett said.
Strengthening the “Blue Wall”
Of course, there are some downsides to the prospect of Walz running alongside Harris: Walz is less well known nationally and may not be able to bring as much youth and energy to the table as other candidates.
Nor does he come from a swing state that could decide the outcome of the presidential election, like Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro or Arizona Senator Mark Kelly.
But Walz’s allies say he could help Democrats win other key states, such as Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania, which are home to many of the same types of voters Walz won in Minnesota.
“He talks about rural, suburban and urban,” joked Rep. Betty McCollum, a Minnesota Democrat who has publicly encouraged Harris to choose Walz.
She and others noted that Waltz has not shied away from appearing on Fox News to appeal to conservative voters, even drawing complaints from President Trump during a recent appearance.
Some Democrats say Walz’s selection of Vance as his running mate could help counter Trump’s efforts to make inroads in the Rust Belt.
“What I know is that people like J.D. Vance know nothing about rural America,” Waltz said on “Morning Joe” Tuesday. “My town has 400 people, and I had 24 kids in my graduating class, and 12 of them were cousins. And he’s got it all wrong.”
“This isn’t about hate. This isn’t about being depressed,” he said. “The golden rule there is to just focus on yourself.”
