Walz Reflects on Election Loss and Campaign Experience with Harris

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (D), who ran as Vice President Kamala Harris’s running mate in the recent presidential election, expressed surprise at the Democratic Party’s defeat, reflecting on the campaign and its unexpected outcome.

Speaking to Tom Hauser of Minnesota’s KSTP-TV, Walz described the loss as unexpected given the positive reception he felt during the campaign.

“It felt like at the rallies, at the things I was going to, the shops I was going in, that the momentum was going our way,” Walz said on Thursday. “And it obviously wasn’t at the end of time. So, yeah, I was a little surprised. I thought we had a positive message, and I thought the country was ready for that.”

The Democratic Party suffered significant losses in the election, leading to a Republican trifecta. Since then, the party has been searching for explanations, with various theories emerging.

Some Democrats attribute the loss to ineffective messaging on core economic issues like inflation, wages, and the growing wealth gap. Others believe the party was hampered by its handling of the Israel-Hamas war or divisive cultural debates, including those surrounding LGBTQ rights and transgender issues.

During the interview, Walz expressed gratitude for his time on the campaign trail with Harris. “It was a privilege to do that. It was a privilege to, when asked to serve, to serve with Vice President Harris,” he said. Reflecting on his experience, Walz remarked, “I certainly got to see America.”

Looking ahead, Walz conveyed optimism about his role in Minnesota’s government and the upcoming legislative session.

“Coming back here now and having the privilege to be able to continue to do this work feels really good, and I’m actually really looking forward to this legislative session with some different dynamics around it,” he told Hauser.

One notable change Walz referred to is the newly split control of the Minnesota House of Representatives, now evenly divided 67-67 between the two parties, with one race still undecided.

While Walz expressed excitement about returning to his gubernatorial duties, he acknowledged that he would miss the energy and excitement of the national campaign trail and serving as Harris’s second-in-command.

He recounted a memorable moment from the campaign’s early days, when Harris introduced him as her running mate at an event at Temple University in Philadelphia.

“And then I’m standing at the curtain with the vice president of the United States with [15,000] or 20,000 people in the national press out there,” Walz recalled. “And she turns to me, and she says, ‘Well, let’s not screw this up.’ And we went out there.”

As the Democratic Party regroups and assesses its strategies moving forward, Walz’s reflections offer a mix of gratitude for the experience, acknowledgment of the challenges, and a hopeful outlook for the future.