Gov. Walz highlights Minnesota in vice presidential debate
ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - During the vice presidential debate on Tuesday night, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz repeatedly highlighted Minnesota’s accomplishments and the policies he signed into law.
What happened during the VP debate
Vice presidential candidates Gov. Walz and Ohio Sen. JD Vance took to the debate stage Tuesday night for what could be the final debate of the 2024 presidential campaign.
The candidates engaged in a policy-heavy debate, attacking the opponents’ running mates while steering clear of personal criticism. Walz experienced several verbal stumbles during the debate, including when discussing his time in Tiananmen Square. He openly admitting that he "misspeaks often." However, he put Vance on the defensive over issues like abortion and his non-answer when asked whether Donald Trump won the 2020 election.
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Each candidate delivered a pretty even performance, with post-debate polls suggesting that the debate is unlikely to impact voters' choices in the presidential election significantly.
Minnesota mentions
Throughout the debate, Walz cited Minnesota as a positive example, highlighting the implementation of paid leave and child tax credit, its strong healthcare facilities and reproductive rights, and the housing success in Minneapolis, among other things.
"In Minnesota, we are ranked first in health care for a reason. We trust women. We trust doctors," Walz said during the debate while discussing reproductive rights.
While discussing gun control, Walz touched on Minnesota’s recently enacted Red Flag Law and how his teenage son had witnessed a shooting at St. Paul Jimmy Lee Recreation Center in 2023.
"I’ve got a 17-year-old, and he witnessed a shooting at a community center playing volleyball. Those things don’t leave you," Walz said in a response about gun control. "I own firearms… we understand that the 2nd Amendment is there, but our first responsibility is to our kids."
Reactions to Walz's Minnesota mentions
People on social media noticed Walz's mentions of Minnesota and reacted to how great he said the state is. Here's a sampling:
Minnesota DFL Chair Ken Martain also weighed in, saying in part, "Tonight, the rest of the country saw why their friends from Minnesota can’t stop bragging about Gov. Walz."
However, while some took to social media to talk about how great Minnesota sounds, some countered that by saying Walz has made Minnesota more expensive, and sharing videos from the riots in Minneapolis following George Floyd's murder.