Walz urges supporters to speak to their families: 'I need to talk to relatives too'
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on the first day of school. (FOX 9 / FOX 9)
ERIE, PA. (FOX 9) - Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz referenced reports that his brother and other relatives support Donald Trump and told his supporters to talk to their own relatives during a campaign stop in Pennsylvania.
What Tim Walz said
The governor said "All of you know, I need to talk to relatives too," after reports of his brother and other relatives opposing his political ideology.
The comments were made during a campaign event where he also pledged to help reduce medical debt. He also spoke about plans to cut taxes for the middle class and negotiate lower prices for Medicaid prescription drugs.
What Tim Walz's brother said
Gov. Walz's brother, Jeff Walz, posted on Facebook that he was "100% opposed" to the governor's political ideology.
READ MORE: Gov. Walz's brother speaks out against his VP nomination: Reports
Jeff Walz later walked back the statements he posted on Facebook, adding that he hadn't spoken to his brother in eight years and that he did not want to influence voters. He gave an interview to NewsNation on Wednesday to clarify his remarks after the posts went viral on X (formerly Twitter).
Walz family opposition
A photo of Walz family members wearing shirts that read: "Nebraska Walz's for Trump" was widely shared on social media earlier this week.
The photo, which was shared by former president Donald Trump on his Truth Social page, shows eight people wearing the shirts and posing in front of a "Trump 2024" flag.
However, when asked by the Associated Press (AP), a sister of the governor said she didn't recognize anyone in the photo. The AP reports that they are distant relatives who descended from Gov. Walz's grandfather's brother – making them second cousins.