Governor Tim Walz (D-MN) is issuing a caution to Democrats, stating that they should not underestimate Minnesota’s consistently blue state in the 2024 election cycle.
Walz, who is also the head of the Democratic Governors Association, attempted to dismiss political strategists who are concerned about President Joe Biden’s chances of winning reelection while also advocating for further investment in Minnesota during an interview with the Washington Post this week.
“I believe Democrats are frightened because the stakes are so high,” said Walz of the Washington Post. “Really freaking out is usually because you’re not on the ground doing the work,” I’d tell them. “You are not seeing the Biden-Harris campaign take Minnesota for granted, or the opening of 18 field offices in the state. This is going to be a closeout. There is no guarantee.
“We made the right decision in supporting Walter Mondale, so we have the longest record of voting for Democrats of any state, but it has been very close in all those years since then,” Walz added. “We put a lot of effort into our work. Therefore, I would like to assure them that this is not an unusual situation.”
The campaign of former President Donald Trump had earlier asserted that blue-leaning states like Minnesota and Virginia were in play during a retreat with GOP contributors. During a press conference earlier this month, the Biden campaign refuted the allegations, citing biased polling.
Director of the Biden campaign’s battleground states, Dan Kanninen, stated, “We feel firmly that the Biden-Harris alliance, which has been strong in the midterms and off-year elections, will continue to be strong for us.”
Though Walz discounted the GOP’s chances in the North Star State, Biden’s chances of winning reelection would probably end if Trump were to flip Minnesota in some way.
“Just consider the essentials. According to Walz, “There is no Trump field office.” Since 2006, the Republican Party in Minnesota has not won a statewide campaign, and according to their most recent financial filings, they had a balance of $52 in the bank. However, I believe that when you hear that Minnesota takes it seriously, you really do. I hope that a large portion of the Trump campaign’s expenditures here come from outside sources, taking money away from North Carolina.
North Carolina is a red state that has not supported a Democrat since Barack Obama in 2008. The Biden campaign hopes to change that.
Democrats are hoping that Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson (R-NC), the governor’s nominee from the Republican Party, who has a track record of making divisive remarks, will increase voter turnout and support Biden in November.
The economy of North Carolina is booming, Walz continued. They are thriving. Thus, I believe we have that going for us; nonetheless, there is a noticeable difference between the two. Josh Stein (D), the current attorney general, is a candidate against Mark Robinson (R).
But because Robinson is becoming a better fundraiser, the Cook Political Report downgraded the gubernatorial contest this week from “lean Democrat” to “toss-up.”
Walz also touched on a major issue that has been bothering Democrats lately: the trend of black men leaning Republican.
“I believe the Democratic Party is making a strong case for black voters—my friend Wes Moore in Maryland has discussed this with me,” Walz said.
“But one issue, I believe, especially with black guys, is that they have this notion that they are somehow flawed, and that’s why we should have their vote because we reinstated felons’ voting rights, which is a positive thing,” he continued. However, many of my business-minded acquaintances do not require the restoration of their voting rights. They require financial access. Additionally, they must ensure that my children receive the same quality of education from their schools as they do. I believe that a contributing factor to this issue is the lack of discussion surrounding it.
The Republican National Committee emphasized Walz’s remarks on social media.
In an April Wall Street Journal poll of voters in seven battleground states, nearly 30% of black men indicated they would definitely or probably vote for Trump in November. Not exactly parallel, but according to a nationwide Associated Press VoteCast survey, 12% of black men backed Trump in 2020.
If Trump can persuade enough black males to vote third party or remain at home in November, he might not even need the backing of as many of them.
But Walz asserted that as the election approaches, Democrats may benefit from openly discussing the issues that black males and other minority groups face.
“I believe that as the election draws nearer and the campaign becomes more focused, the president will begin to prioritize these organizations, and we must have open communication with them,” Walz stated. “After that, we need to have an open discussion about all the issues that Hispanic voters care about, including immigration, as well as a sincere discussion about border security.” Celebrate the immigrant community that exists here, while also realizing that it is essential to the economy.