Why Tim Walz as VP is....Interesting.
He Kind of Fits Everything You Want in a VP. Here's What I Mean.
I held out on posting earlier this week because the Dem V.P. announcement was forthcoming. Had a post all written up about it too that was all set to go the moment Harris made the announcement.
Admittedly, I thought it would be Josh Shapiro right up until it was announced. Shapiro outran the top of the ticket last time by 14 pts, helps get you the most important state this election and is a young, up and coming shining Democratic star almost straight out of central casting. Everything seemed aligned his way. Even the day they were to announce the VP pick, there was a rally scheduled in of all places, PENNSYLVANIA.
And then the news came Kamala Harris selected Governor Tim Walz of Minnesota. Hmm… OK. Scrap that original post and start over. Time to re-write it focusing on Governor Tim Walz, someone I greatly appreciate as my governor and extremely personable.
Walz had been the recipient of a huge online zeitgeist the moment he labeled Trump and GOP VP candidate J.D. Vance as “weird.” This is a bit like saying that grass is green, but it struck a chord. Obvious things tend to do that. But for the first time in over 8 years, Democrats figured out how to go after Trump; don’t use hyperbole or oversized rhetoric, be objective, straightforward, even dismissive. Yeah, Trump is “weird.” He’s kind of “loony.” He’s a bit of “a mess.” Less “Fascism!”, more “WTF?” People relate to that, and many more agree with it than the superlatives Dems have thrown out for almost a decade.
Then came the memes focused on “BigDadEnergy” which are essentially references to old school, O.G., hokey, dadish kind of things that Tim Walz “does.” For instance,
You get the idea. And Walz really is that kind of hokey “Minnesota Nice.” He REALLY is like America’s Dad. He’sa genuinely good and decent person who has aspired to do good for his family, his community and his country. Always has been. I’ve lived in Minnesota awhile now and as far as governors go, he’s been pretty effective. People here genuinely like him, which is more than what I can say for most elected public officials. People may disagree with him, as Republicans often do, but I never heard anyone, Democrat or Republican, say they genuinely dislike him as a person. That means a lot.
So let’s quickly assess how he checks off all the boxes:
Doesn’t upstage the top of the ticket.
Capable of being President; smart and competent enough to take the reins if needed.
Does no harm to the ticket.
Can appeal in areas the campaign needs to win.
Can be an effective attack dog on the opposing ticket.
It’s all there. In many ways he’s the perfect partner. Of course, if Harris loses he’ll be Tim Kaine 2.0, but I don’t think they will. That aura of positivity coming off the Harris-Walz campaign right now is exactly the kind of winning glow successfull campaigns have. Trump can sling mud and rant all he wants, but positive messages usually win out in the end, and Trump can’t ever be positive about anything but himself.
So as my governor what can I tell you all of you around the rest of the country about Gov. Walz? Here goes…
Before He Was Elected
Before he was elected to the House in 2006, he was in the Army National Guard and was a non-commissioned officer. He was a social studies teacher, football coach and was the first advisor to the school’s “Gay Straight Alliance.” Originally from Nebraska, he’s lived in small towns most of his life, eventually settling in Mankato, his wife’s hometown, and also the location where he obtained his college degree. He didn’t show much signs of political activism until he became a local coordinator on the Kerry campaign in 2004, subsequently announcing his run for Congress against Republican Gil Gutknecht in 2006. Gutknecht was a nice enough guy, but seen as a GW. Bush rubber stamp and defender at a time Iraq was going poorly and Hurricane Katrina was indefensible. The map at the time looked like this:
Walz’s district is that light blue one on the bottom. If you know nothing about that district, just know this: it is a largely rural district, with a lot of open farmland; think of it as northern Iowa with Albert Lea and Rochester thrown in. A generation or two ago, the Democrats still had some pull with districts like that, in Minnesota it’s called the DFL (Democratic-Farmer-Labor) party. Walz won that district with barely a plurality in a big Democratic year. Those other dark blue areas across the state? Those are also largely rural, represented by conservative Democrats Colin Peterson and Jim Oberstar at the time, and are as brick red today as they ever were, as Democrats have given up largely on rural America. Today, Dems are only largely viable in and around the Twin Cities and suburbs, although they can make some hard runs in places like Walz’s First and up near Duluth. However, that’s on the strength of the old school DFL brand and organization, not the branding and perception of today’s modern Dems. Walz was able to do it with solid rural roots, knowing how to talk with his neighbors and small communities, and avoiding culture war issues for more practical issues they care about. It’s been said he’s shaken every person’s hand in the 1st District at least three times, and there is a kernel of truth to that.
As an Elected Official.
Walz took that rural district and held it for twelve more years, getting re-elected easily in 2008 with 62% of the vote. Locals loved him. His moderate stances and personal demeanor won them over. In many ways, he is the ideal PurpleAmerica candidate and someone we have long pointed to as a way to win over rural areas. 1 Local farm issues, veterans, rural infrastructure, schools, health care, Main Street issues, pound the pavement and shake hands at the diner campaigning. 2 Walz IS that guy.
He’s always smartly navigated major issues, voting to conitnue the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and against TARP. He was supported by the NRA victory fund multiple times in Congress. That kind of thinking allowed him to align and even advocate for very Democratic positions in his district on other issues; he had a 100% rating from Planned Parenthood , the ACLU, the AFL-CIO and the NOW. In the 114th Congress, he was the 7th most bipartisan member of Congress.
In 2018 when Mark Dayton announced he was not going to run for Governor of Minnesota again, Walz took the opportunity to run. He won election by over 8 pts and in 2022 was re-elected easily. As a Governor, he’s shifted to more liberal positions but still maintains his personal demeanor and his appeals to small town, rural Minnesota values and politics. He’s legalized cannabis, improved the MN economy to one of the best in the nation, expanded free school lunches to every student, supports LGBTQ rights, and has been to the left on a number of social issues. Most interesting to me, he changed the Minnesota State Flag, and most Minnesotans love it.
For Kamala Harris, someone who can talk with rural America and meet Republican voters sick of Trump halfway, in places like rural Wisconsin, the Upper Penninsula of Michigan and between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh can go a long way, especially if they can maintain and excite her already fired up liberal base. As head of the Democratic Governor’s Association, he was well liked by all the other Governors and respected. This is how you unite a relatively fractuous party in a short time. This is how you win.
What to Expect
I have to say, the “BigDadEnergy” memes fit him to a tee. After meeting him several times, HE IS THAT GUY. Very relatable, the kind of guy who would do great at retail politics in a Presidential Primary in Iowa and New Hampshire. He’s articulate and knows how to deflect and pivot in very positive ways on tough issues. He’s also not someone who will outshine the top of the ticket, something someone like Josh Shapiro could have done in many places around the country. I suspect his folksy schtick will go a long way, and if Republicans are tired of Trump’s over the top, overheated rhetoric, someone like a Walz will genuinely appeal to them. He’s much more authentic than J.D. Vance is with crowds like this, and makes the case that Republican Economics has killed small town life pretty effectively. With only three more months to go, I think he’ll be a fine addition to the ticket.
Good Luck Mr. Walz, we’re wishing you the best! PurpleAmerica Endorsed.
PurpleAmerica’s Obscure Fact of the Day
Walz’s Lt. Governor is Peggy Flanagan, a member of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe community. If Harris-Walz wins in November, Ms. Flanagan will the first female Native American Governor. She would be the third Native Amerian Governor ever.
The first Native American Governor was Johnston Murray of Oklahoma from 1951-55. Here is what someone pointed out to me:
PurpleAmerica’s Final Word on the Subject
Even I had to get in on the memes…
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Footnotes and Fun Stuff
My great hope is that in Walz, Democrats use him as the template for winning over rural voters and returning to represent those areas again. To be a true governing majority, they need to win in places like Mankato, Albert Lea, and other small cities and towns that they seem to neglect and abandon. Walz can get them to compete there again and if they win there, they’ll be unstoppable.
One of my favorite dichotomies about politics is how people split it out to whether there is a Whole Foods or a Cracker Barrel in the area; the idea being Whole Foods is in largely liberal areas and Cracker Barrel largely conservative ones. Tim Walz is the kind of guy who would PREFER to campaign in the Cracker Barrels. That’s what Democrats can’t be afraid of doing.