The News
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is gearing up to make the biggest and most consequential speech of his political career.
Walz is the headliner Wednesday at the Democratic National Convention — Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate, the midwesterner and former football coach has exuded a cheery, laid-back charm.
In the weeks since Harris picked Walz, Democrats have seemed captivated by his energy and authenticity that strategists hope will pull in undecided and rural voters. But his lack of experience on the national stage has already made him vulnerable to Republican attacks.
SIGNALS
Walz brings energizing optimism and authentic charm…
Walz is a “joyful attack dog,” able to talk enthusiastically about the future while also not hesitating to criticize Donald Trump, California Rep. Jared Huffman told The Hill. That unpolished, unscripted approach is “what endears him to Americans,” the chair of Minnesota’s Democratic Party said. Walz minted the “weird” line of attack against Donald Trump and JD Vance, a label that has proven to be a simple and effective catchphrase that has resonated with voters, particularly younger Americans. “The opposite of normalizing authoritarianism is to make it weird, to call it out and to sort of mock it,” a historian told The Associated Press.
…But unscripted moments can lead to gaffes
Walz has a tendency to misspeak or make inaccurate statements — one of his biggest weaknesses, Axios noted. Republicans have accused him of inflating his military experience by referring to weapons he carried “in war,” among other attacks on his Army National Guard record, and JD Vance attacked him on Tuesday after his wife clarified they had not relied on IVF treatments to have children, but IUI instead. So far there’s little sign the criticism has taken a toll: Voters tend to have favorable views of him in polling compared to Vance, Harris, and Trump.
Does Harris need a moderate congressman or a progressive governor?
Walz’ governorship was supported by a Democratic legislature, enabling him to pass major laws on liberal policies, including paid family leave and gun control. That progressive record “could undercut the Harris campaign strategy of selecting a folksy, plain-spoken Midwesterner” to boost mass appeal, The Wall Street Journal wrote, although even Vance was reluctant to criticize his policy of free school meals. As a congressman, however, Walz was a solid moderate, representing a rural farming district that he flipped in 2006 after more than a century of Republican control. The difference lies in the constituency, perhaps, rather than Walz himself: While his governorship catered to Minnesota’s Twin Cities, Harris “needs him to remember how he won over rural voters,” noted The Washington Post columnist James Hohmann.