“These guys are just weird” was a famous line that Tim Walz said on cable TV that made him a quick favorite to be Kamala Harris’s running mate.
The 60-year-old is known for running against Republicans in a way that is folksy, honest, and sharp-tongued. He has a great background; before he got into politics, he taught in public schools, coached football, and served in the National Guard.
In his political career, he has worked to pass progressive policies as governor of Minnesota and represented a district that leans Republican in Congress.
These policies could have a significant impact on the current polarized political environment.
Who is Tim Walz?
Teacher, football coach, Congressman –
Tim Walz, originally from rural Nebraska, spent his summers farming and hunting and joined the Army National Guard at 17, serving for 24 years.
Encouraged by his father, a public school administrator who passed away from lung cancer when Walz was 19, he joined the military.
The Minnesota governor has shared how Social Security survivor benefits supported his mother and how the GI Bill funded his college education.
With teaching degrees in hand, Walz took a one-year teaching position in China around the time of the Tiananmen Square massacre, later honeymooning there with his wife, Gwen Whipple, and organizing educational trips to China for American students.
Upon returning to Nebraska, Walz became a teacher and American football coach until his wife, also a teacher, brought him back to her native Minnesota.
They have two children. As a coach at Mankato West High School, Walz led the football team to its first state championship and was praised for serving as the faculty adviser for the school’s gay-straight alliance at a time when homosexuality was largely frowned upon.
Walz first entered politics in a predominantly agricultural and Republican-leaning district in southern Minnesota, campaigning as a moderate focused on public service and veterans’ advocacy, leading to a surprising election victory.
During his 12 years in Congress, Tim Walz defied easy ideological categorization.
He supported the Affordable Care Act, co-sponsored pro-labor initiatives like a bill to raise the minimum wage, and backed an unsuccessful cap-and-trade effort to reduce carbon emissions.
However, he also aligned with Republicans on several issues, voting to continue funding the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, supporting stricter vetting of refugees entering the U.S., and opposing the Obama-era bailout of banks and car companies after the 2008 financial crisis.
Once endorsed by the pro-gun National Rifle Association (NRA), which contributed to his campaign, Walz later advocated for an assault weapons ban following the Parkland school shooting, losing the NRA’s backing.
In the 2018 Minnesota governor’s race, Walz won by more than 11 points, but the Covid pandemic and the killing of George Floyd by a police officer in Minneapolis dominated his first term.
Republicans criticized him for delaying the deployment of the National Guard during some violent protests.
Despite the challenges, Walz was re-elected, and his second term has been marked by significant activity, with Democrats holding a slim majority in the state legislature.
Under his leadership, Democrats have secured abortion rights, enacted paid family and sick leave, strengthened gun laws, funded universal free school meals, and invested in affordable housing.
This flurry of legislative achievements caught the attention of former President Barack Obama, who noted, “If you need a reminder that elections have consequences, check out what’s happening in Minnesota.”
It sounds like Mr. Walz is becoming a prominent figure with his sharp critiques of Republicans, drawing both support and criticism.
His remarks and actions in Minnesota have stirred up discussions on both sides of the political spectrum.
While some see his leadership as a positive force capable of expanding appeal to rural and working-class voters, others view his policies as too extreme.
His potential addition to a political ticket could bring diverse reactions and further influence his national reputation.
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