Minnesota Governor and former Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz made headlines Monday night during a stop on his national “listening tour,” speaking at Harvard’s Kennedy School. He ruled out a 2028 presidential bid and gave insight into why Vice President Kamala Harris chose him as her running mate last year.
According to Walz, Harris tapped him because he could “code talk to white guys watching football, fixing their truck” — in other words, he could connect with working-class white men in a way that made them feel comfortable. He described himself as a “permission structure” that gave rural white voters a reason to support Democrats.
When ABC News reporter Brittany Shepherd pressed him on why he didn’t share that message more broadly on cable news, Walz chuckled and called himself a “knucklehead,” saying, “I’ll give you 90% good, 10% problematic.”
Speaking with CNN’s Jake Tapper earlier this month, Walz said he’s considering a third run for governor of Minnesota, but not a presidential run. At Harvard, he expanded on that, arguing that Democrats should take a team-based approach in 2028.
“I think we need to collectively run a presidential campaign without a candidate right now that builds all the infrastructure … so by 2028, we’re ready,” he said.
Reflecting on the 2024 election, Walz said bluntly, “We would have won,” had certain things been done differently. He admitted Democrats failed to get their message out and didn’t take advantage of enough media opportunities — from podcasts to cable news.
“There’s room for Gavin Newsom’s podcast, and there’s room for Bernie Sanders’ rallies,” he said, calling both examples of Democrats taking control of their narrative.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom — another name in the 2028 conversation — recently launched a podcast where he’s invited conservative voices like Charlie Kirk and Steve Bannon. His goal: show Democrats can engage in honest debate without resorting to personal attacks.
Meanwhile, Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have been drawing huge crowds on their “Fighting Oligarchy” tour, using fiery rallies to energize the progressive base.
Walz has been on his own cross-country tour, holding town halls in Republican-leaning districts. But he’s also stumbled, echoing some of the missteps from the 2024 campaign.
Earlier this month, veterans heckled him at the Minnesota Capitol over allegations of “stolen valor.” In Wisconsin, a woman claimed she was kicked out of a Walz event for filming Trump supporters being removed. And at an earlier town hall, he took heat for seemingly celebrating a drop in Tesla’s stock price during a wave of property vandalism.
Despite efforts to frame himself as relatable to middle America, Walz has faced relentless attacks from conservatives — especially over his bill to provide free menstrual products in all school restrooms for grades 4–12, including boys’ bathrooms. That led to the nickname “Tampon Tim,” which critics still use to mock him online.
He’s also been criticized for past remarks claiming he could physically fight most Trump supporters — comments that still haunt his public appearances.
Looking ahead, Walz warned Democrats they can’t afford to be complacent. He pointed to the 2024 losses as a wake-up call, saying, “We win on issues and competency, but we lose the message — and we lose power.”
He continued, “Why have we lost the self-identity that the Democratic Party is for personal freedoms, for the middle class, for labor? How did we get here, where people didn’t even feel this election was worth showing up for?”
Walz’s remarks came just before former President Donald Trump’s “First 100 Days” celebration. He issued a stark warning to Democrats: “If you leave a void, Donald Trump will fill it.”
And in classic Walz fashion, he ended with a jab: “If I ever had 100 days to live, I’d spend it in the Trump administration — because it would feel like a lifetime.”
He added, “It’s been 100 days of destruction. Can we survive 550 more? That’s how long we’ve got until the midterms. That’s the challenge.”
