Tim Walz
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Tim Walz Makes Announcement About His Political Future

RNN Staff

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz announced on Tuesday that he is officially running for reelection, releasing the first ad of his campaign along with a message on social media declaring his intent to stay in St. Paul.

Walz’s announcement comes after his failed bid as Kamala Harris’s running mate in the 2024 presidential election, where the Harris-Walz ticket was trounced by President Donald Trump in a historic landslide. Despite that national defeat, Walz is now turning his focus back to Minnesota — and he’s returning to familiar Democratic talking points in the process.

“I’ve always tried to do what’s right for Minnesota, and I’ll never stop fighting to protect us from the chaos, corruption, and cruelty coming out of Washington,” Walz says in his new campaign ad. Though he never mentions Trump by name, the message is clearly aimed at framing his reelection as a fight against the Trump administration — a strategy Democrats have increasingly leaned on post-2024.

The ad touts Walz’s record, including paid family leave, a state-level child tax credit, and higher graduation rates. But critics say the governor’s track record is marred by his failure to act during the 2020 George Floyd riots, his cozy ties to Communist China, and recent comments many viewed as mocking President Trump’s health.

A Record Under Fire

Walz’s time as governor has been clouded by controversy. During the violent 2020 riots in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Walz delayed deploying the National Guard for three days, allowing mass chaos, property destruction, and even the burning of a Minneapolis police precinct. When the Guard was finally activated, their role was limited primarily to guarding government buildings rather than ending the rioting that devastated local communities and businesses.

Walz has continued to defend his actions during the riots, saying, “we tried to do the best we can” — a comment many saw as an abdication of leadership.

He also came under scrutiny during the presidential campaign for his deep ties to China. Walz has visited China over 30 times, including trips in the 1990s and early 2000s where he led American students on tours of Communist-run regions. He even honeymooned in China. During the campaign, critics raised concerns over whether Walz could be trusted to put American interests ahead of Chinese influence.

Remarks on Trump’s Health Spark Outrage

Earlier this month, Walz appeared to make light of online rumors about President Trump’s health during a Labor Day picnic, sparking outrage.

“Look I get it, you get up in the morning and you doom scroll through things, although I will say this, the last few days you woke up thinking there might be news,” Walz said. “Just saying, just saying, there will be news sometime, just so you know, there will be news.”

The cryptic and gleeful tone of the remarks — made during a period when the president had briefly avoided public appearances — was interpreted by many Republicans as a veiled wish for Trump’s death. GOP leaders blasted Walz for what they said was a tasteless and dangerous joke, especially given the rise in political violence in recent years.

From National Loss to Local Ambition

Walz’s decision to seek another term as governor follows the collapse of his national ambitions. After President Biden was forced to exit the 2024 race following a disastrous debate performance against Trump, Kamala Harris selected Walz as her VP pick. But the ticket was thoroughly rejected by voters, with Trump and Vance securing a commanding win across the country — including making gains in states like Minnesota.

Now, Walz is trying to reestablish himself on familiar turf. Whether Minnesotans are eager to give him another four years, or whether his failures at the state and national level will catch up to him, remains to be seen.

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