Tim Walz’s record as Minnesota governor showcases a wish list of progressive priorities

Harris is hoping to boost her campaign’s standing in the Upper Midwest, a crucial region in presidential politics that often acts as a buffer for Democrats seeking the White House. The party is still haunted by Republican Donald Trump’s wins in Michigan and Wisconsin in 2016. Trump lost those states in 2020 but has focused on them as he aims to return to the presidency this year and is expanding his focus to Minnesota.

Walz, 60, joined Harris during one of the most turbulent periods in modern American politics, promising an unpredictable campaign ahead. Republicans rallied around Trump after the assassination attempt on him in July. Just weeks later, President Joe Biden ended his reelection campaign, forcing Harris to unite Democrats and consider potential running mates on a tight timeline.

The three people who confirmed Walz’s selection spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the matter was not public.

Harris, the first black woman and person of South Asian descent to lead a major party ticket, initially considered nearly a dozen candidates before settling on a handful of serious contenders, all of them white men. In choosing Walz, she aligned herself with a down-to-earth partner who has proven himself a champion of Democratic causes.

Walz was a strong advocate for Harris in her campaign against Trump and Vance, Calling Republicans “weird” In an interview last month, Democrats seized on this message and have amplified it ever since.

“It wasn’t an insult to call these guys weird, it was just an observation,” Walz said at a fundraiser for Harris on Monday in Minneapolis.

From football coach to governor

Walz, who grew up in the small town of West Point, Nebraska, was a social studies teacher, football coach and union member at Mankato West High School in Minnesota before turning to politics.

Walz won his first of six terms in Congress in 2006 from a rural district in southern Minnesota, and used his position to advocate for veterans’ issues. Walz served for 24 years in the Army National Guard, rising to the rank of staff sergeant, one of the highest military ranks.

he Run for Governor in 2018 Under the slogan “One Minnesota” and won by more than 11 points.

As governor, Walz had to find ways to work in his first term with a legislature divided between a Democratic-controlled House and a Republican-led Senate. However, Minnesota has a history of divided government, and the Republican-controlled Senate was in fact split between Republicans and Democrats. The arrangement was surprisingly productive. In his first year, but the COVID-19 pandemic hit Minnesota early in his second year, and bipartisanship quickly collapsed.

Walz relied on emergency powers to lead the state’s response. annoyed by restrictions Walz was among those who implemented lockdowns, closing schools and businesses. They responded by firing or forcing out some of his agency heads. But Minnesotans stuck at home also got to know Walz better through his frequent afternoon briefings in the early days of the crisis, which were televised and broadcast statewide.

Walz Won re-election in 2022 Walz won by about 8 points over his Republican challenger, Dr. Scott Jensen, a physician and vaccine skeptic. Not only did Walz win, but Democrats retained control of the House and flipped the Senate. To win the treble of complete dominance It was the first such vote in eight years in favor of abortion in the Senate and House. The main reason for this was the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs, which ruled that the Constitution does not guarantee a right to abortion. This hurt Republicans in Minnesota, especially among suburban women.

“Tim was in the news because the country and the world were seeing the man we love so much,” U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar said Monday.

Ken Martin, chairman of the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party, said the young people he spoke to on the campaign trail were “drunk.”

Walz and other Democrats Entered the 2023 legislative session With an ambitious agenda – and Huge budget surplus of $17.6 billion To help finance it. Proudest Achievements included Comprehensive protection Republicans passed a new abortion rights bill that eliminated all the restrictions Republicans had imposed in previous years, including a 24-hour waiting period and parental consent requirements. They also passed another abortion rights bill. New protection For transgender rights, Make the state a refuge For families coming from out of state to receive treatment for transgender children.

Help for families and school lunch

Among their other major achievements were tax credits for families with children, which were intended to reduce child poverty, as well as free breakfast and lunch in schools for all students, regardless of family income. They also passed a law on education. Paid family and medical leave program, Legal recreational marijuana For adults and make voting easier.

Walz also signed a bill. Block so-called unwanted fees and presided over a statewide ban. Non-compete agreements For workers, both are aimed at limiting the corporate power that the Biden administration has hesitantly pushed toward at the federal level.

Republicans have complained that Walz and his fellow Democrats have squandered a surplus that would be better spent on permanent tax relief for everyone. They have also criticized the governor and his administration for poor oversight of pandemic programs that have cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars.

Federal prosecutors have charged 70 people with defrauding federal food programs that funded $250 million in meals for children during the pandemic under Walz’s watch. The scandal is known as the “Feeding Our Future” scandal. One of the largest companies in the country Pandemic Aid Fraud. The Legislative Auditor’s Office, a nonpartisan watchdog, make a scathing report In June, Walz’s education committee said the education department “failed to act on warning signs,” did not exercise its powers effectively and was unprepared to respond.

Republicans continue to criticize Walz for his response to the sometimes violent unrest that followed. George Floyd’s murder By a Minneapolis police officer in 2020, which included the burning of a police station.

During a May fundraiser in St. Paul, Trump said: He repeated his false claim. Trump said he was responsible for deploying the National Guard to quell the violence. “The whole city was burning,” he added. “If I hadn’t been president, Minneapolis wouldn’t be here today.”

In fact, it was Walz who issued the order, which he issued in response to requests from the mayors of Minneapolis and St. Paul. But inside Minnesota, Republican lawmakers said Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey were too slow to act. Frey and Walz have traded accusations over who was responsible for not activating the National Guard sooner.

Walz has often served as a surrogate for Biden-Harris, making frequent appearances on national television. These appearances included a Fox News interview that upset Trump so much that he posted on Truth Social, “They’re making me fight battles I shouldn’t be fighting.” Walz also serves as co-chair of the Rules Committee of the Democratic National Convention. Chaired a White House meeting of Democratic governors With Biden after the president’s disastrous performance in his debate with Trump.

Putting Walz on the ticket could help Democrats hold onto the state’s 10 electoral votes and boost the party more broadly in the Midwest. No Republican has won a statewide race in Minnesota since Tim Pawlenty was reelected governor in 2006, but GOP candidates for attorney general and state auditor have come close to winning in 2022.

Trump finished second by just 1.5 percentage points behind Democrat Hillary Clinton in the state in 2016. While Biden won Minnesota by more than 7 points in 2020, Trump has resorted to False claim that he won the state Last time and I can do it again.

Minnesota has produced two vice presidents, Hubert Humphrey And Walter Mondale.