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Gov. Walz reflects on a losing campaign, potential political future

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Published  December 5, 2024 9:53pm CST
Tim Walz
FOX 9

Gov. Walz focused on MN after election

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is turning his full focus to his home state after coming up short as a vice presidential candidate. FOX 9’s Corin Hoggard sat down with the governor for his first one-on-one interview since the election.

The Brief

    • In his first one-on-one interview since the election, Gov. Tim Walz talked with FOX 9 about the campaign, his political future and his family.
    • He admitted the campaign might've made mistakes, but said everything felt right at the time.
    • Walz won’t commit as to his political future, but complimented DFL and GOP leadership in the House and said they’re capable of compromise for the good of Minnesota.

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is turning his full focus back to his home state after coming up short as a vice-presidential candidate.

From Temple University in Philadelphia to Howard University in Washington, D.C., Gov. Walz spent 92 days as presidential campaign sidekick to Vice President Kamala Harris.

Hindsight isn’t clear

It ended a month ago in a resounding defeat, but the governor isn’t dwelling on hindsight.

"Are there things that we could have messaged or done differently?" he said. "I think when the dust all settles, the answer is probably, but it doesn't really work that way."

Wrong choice?

Choosing Walz was one of the vice president’s mistakes, according to a few political pundits.

"I didn't try to get that job," he said. "I am proud of what I did. I think we worked hard. I think we made an impact. But, you know, that's fair. But that's a decision the vice president would have to say. It was not my choice to make."

Making moves in Minnesota

What he does next is his choice — another run for governor, a campaign for higher office like U.S. Senate or even president, or political retirement.
For now, he’s leaving his options open.

"I think it's a little too early to tell," Gov. Walz said. "We're focusing on an upcoming legislative session. Keep continuing to work on that and then we'll decide from there."

That legislative session will require a new approach from the last two years when the DFL had a Capitol trifecta.

Harris and Walz won Minnesota by four percent, but the state was almost exactly evenly split in voting for the state House and the parties will share control.

The governor complimented co-speaker designates Melissa Hortman and Lisa Demuth and said they’re capable of finding common ground, especially when it comes to balancing a budget that’s in the black for now, but projected deep into the red four years down the road.

‘On solid footing’

We proved it in 2019," Walz said. "We can compromise together to get things done for Minnesota, and we're on good, solid footing."

Walz may not want to reflect much on what could’ve been, but he said he’s satisfied with what he has.

"I would just end with what I've learned out there is that things are pretty good in Minnesota," he said.

Just how good they are over the last two years in his term may help answer the question about his next move.

Tim WalzElectionPolitics