Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) may be a self-described “knucklehead,” but that’s not stopping the Harris campaign from putting him on the campaign trail in the presidential election’s home stretch.
Walz is the only one of the top four candidates with a positive favorability rating, and similar to his running mate, Vice President Kamala Harris, he’s ramped up his media and campaign appearances.
“We’re going everywhere,” Walz said Thursday during a stop in North Carolina with former President Bill Clinton. “Kamala and I are going everywhere. Between the two of us, we’re about regulars on Fox News.”
Walz went on Fox News two Sundays in a row and has been doing multiple local TV and radio hits a day. He recently went on Jimmy Kimmel Live and will appear on The View and The Daily Show next week.
It’s all a big change from the early weeks of the campaign when Harris and Walz both shied away from unscripted interviews. While the change comes as polls appear to be swinging away from their party, Democratic strategists welcome the new approach.
“The Pete Buttigieg model from 2020 was to go everywhere all the time for maximum reach,” 720 Strategies partner Tom Cochran said. “It’s a good play because it’s about exposure and positive messaging. The bigger risk this close to the election is being unknown, opaque, or unapproachable.”
Cochran pointed out that Walz was the first one to tag former President Donald Trump, and especially Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH), as “weird,” a label that has plagued them ever since.
However, Walz has caused headaches too. He’s been accused of exaggerating his military record and implying he and his wife used in vitro fertilization when they did not. Most recently, Walz said he wanted to scrap the Electoral College, a statement the Harris campaign had to walk back.
Trump took a shot at Walz’s exaggerations during Thursday night’s Al Smith dinner, joking about how Walz and Harris were not present.
“Unfortunately, Governor Walz isn’t here himself,” Trump mused. “But don’t worry, he’ll say that he was.”
Cochran emphasized that Walz is better on the campaign trail than off of it.
“It’s a worthy risk,” he said, “and when people make mistakes, owning them is the most important part.”
Walz has taken shots right back at Trump during his own appearances. He said Thursday that Trump’s immigration rhetoric is best turned inward.
“Look, let’s be honest. There are outsiders coming into communities, stealing and moving jobs away and making life harder for people living there,” Walz said. “And they have names — Donald Trump and J.D. Vance. That’s who they are.”
“Here’s the good news,” Walz continued. “Vance is never going to be vice president, and Donald Trump is never going to be president.”
Democratic strategist Brad Bannon pointed to Walz’s relatively high favorability as his best asset. He said even his gaffes can be endearing if they make him come across as relatable.
“He has a folksy appeal that works in the swing states, and I think it’s wise for her to unleash him,” Bannon said. “The reality is a lot of the undecided voters are older white males, and Walz fits the bill.”
Still, the timing of Walz’s recent media blitz could be a worrying sign for Harris supporters. It coincided with a vice presidential debate that most observers thought Vance won, and a quick shift in strategy could be a signal that the original strategy wasn’t working.
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Polling in the race remains extremely close overall, but in the RealClearPolitics polling average, all seven swing states are now favoring Trump. Pennsylvania flipped from narrowly blue to narrowly red in September, and Michigan, Nevada, and Wisconsin followed suit in mid-October.
The Harris campaign is hoping more Walz will bring more votes as the last days of campaigning arrive. After campaigning with one former president last week, Walz will appear with another next week as he stumps with former President Barack Obama on Tuesday.
