Minnesota Governor Tim Walz — during a weekend stop in Iowa — says this is the year for Democrats to be listening to voters.
“You’re hearing this primal scream from folks to the Democrats to do something and from independents and, I would argue, from some Republicans because this is coming at them, this chaos is coming at them like a freight train and I think they feel and rightly so, that there’s no adequate opposition,” Walz said. “…It’s a rebuilding year, but I think there’s a great opportunity here in this moment, that there’s a void that needs to be filled.”
Walz spoke at an event Friday afternoon in Iowa’s third congressional district, which is represented by Republican Zach Nunn. The crowd gathered in a Des Moines high school auditorium gave Walz a standing ovation when he arrived for the town-hall-style forum. People shared concerns about the changes President Trump and Elon Musk are making in the federal government.
“I would ask your representative…to say, ‘No, no, no, no, no. We’re the appropriators. We make the laws, not you,'” Walz said, to cheers.
Walz made a couple of brief references to the 2024 presidential race and told crowd at this moment, Democrats need to be less timid.”So to each of you, we’ve got work to do to figure this out. I also believe that empathy, compassion and decency can win the day,” Walz said. “…We get the opportunity to push back against those forces that want to take those things that make America great.”
Walz plans to speak in swing congressional districts where Republicans won narrowly in 2024. He’ll be in Omaha Saturday where Republican Congressman Don Bacon won reelection by a two-point margin. The governor’s travels fuel speculation he may run for president in 2028, but Walz — in an interview — focused on his 2026 decision about running for a third term as Minnesota’s governor.
“I’m hearing people say, ‘Who’s leading? Who’s doing things?’ I think I bring along some attention that can come with that,but at this point in time I’m leaning towards seeing if the people of Minnesota are wanted to run for the governor of Minnesota. I don’t need to be on that ticket, but I do need to be part of who can help. I think I have a responsibility because I’ve been given the platform, I think it would be shirking my responsibility if I didn’t try to lift it up and do this.”
According to Walz, his party needs a rebranding and Minnesota’s Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party and the state’s brand of populism are a start.
“I’d like to see us talk a little more of the Democrats being the DFL and broaden our base because I think we get accused of being elite, we get accused of being out of touch with folks and whether I believe that or not, the people believe it,” Walz said. “Perceived reality is reality.”
In a written statement issued during Walz’s appearance in Des Moines, Iowa GOP chairman Jeff Kaufmann said Walz has “embraced the worst of left-wing policies.” Congressman Nunn told Fox News the American people had a great town hall called the election — and Nunn noted his own winning margin in November was about 15,000 votes.