Why ‘vanilla’ Tim Walz is the ingredient to beat Trump: Dem lawmakers
WASHINGTON — Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) is a seemingly safe, even bland, Democratic vice presidential pick.
And that has many Democrats cheering.
Walz will face down GOP vice presidential nominee J.D. Vance, and Democrats who served with Walz during his 12 years in Congress say the two-term Minnesota governor is ready.
“You've got somebody who's nuts and bolts, who's meat and potatoes, and that's the governor, Gov. Walz,” Rep. Lou Correa (D-CA) told Raw Story in a phone interview. “And you've got Mr. Vance, who's a young guy who talks a lot, who, you know, has interesting ways of expressing himself, and then you got a guy who's just plain vanilla, meat and potatoes, roll up your sleeves, let's get the job done.”
ALSO READ: Tim Walz's personal finances are extraordinarily boring — and that may help Kamala Harris
Like Correa, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) overlapped with Walz in the U.S. House of Representatives, and she’s calling him “an exceptional choice for the vice presidential nomination.”
“He’s battle-tested, has years of legislative and executive experience, and is an unwavering champion for working people,” Gillibrand said in a release. “This pick will only add to the energy and momentum behind the Democratic ticket, and I’m more optimistic than ever that the Harris-Walz ticket will defeat Donald Trump and deliver victories up and down the ballot.”
Even some Republicans who served with Walz only have good things to say.
“Amiable, good guy, easy to get along with,” former Rep. Ryan Costello (R-PA) texted Raw Story.
“Vanilla?” Raw Story asked.
“Normal,” Costello replied.
Walz, for his part, has spent the better part of the past few weeks attempting to paint both Trump and Vance as “weird” — something that delighted the nascent Harris campaign.
As the saying goes, there are show horses and work horses in Washington, and Walz was known as someone who worked diligently behind the scenes on both the Agriculture and Veterans’ Affairs committees.
“A guy who really didn't grab headlines in Washington, but who is a veteran, did a great job on Veterans’ Affairs [Committee] and is now governor of Minnesota,” Correa said. “He is connected to what people want on Main Street, and that's what you want. A no nonsense guy.”
While other committees — like the Armed Services or Energy and Commerce Committees — are known for attracting Washington’s lobbying class and their checkbooks, Correa says Walz stands out for dutifully working to help veterans, even though most aren’t wealthy donors.
“If you really want to move the needle, if you really want to do things that make a difference for our nation, make a difference for those that have served our country, the Veterans’ Affairs Committee is where you want to be,” Correa said. “And you may not raise a lot of money there, but I got to tell you, when you go to town halls, when you invite veterans to come talk about their issues, you are the most popular guy there. This is good stuff.”
Correa says he also remembers Walz as an open-minded policymaker, especially when Correa and others on the Congressional Cannabis Caucus started telling him about the medicinal benefits of cannabis for veterans suffering PTSD.
“I conveyed that message to him and we had a lot of discussions about this, and what stood out to me was: ‘let's help veterans.’ That was his message, ‘let’s do what we can for veterans,’” Correa said.
While Congress never relaxed marijuana restrictions for veterans, last year Walz signed into law a bill making Minnesota the 23rd state in the nation to legalize recreational marijuana.
Now, Correa and other members of Congress, such Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), are seeing success in their effort to relax restrictions on psychedelics like psilocybin — think “magic mushrooms” — or MDMA, or “Molly” — for veterans suffering PTSD.
“We didn't quite get the first base on cannabis for veterans, but we're doing a hell of a better job on, you know, getting the pathway for psychedelic treatments for veterans. This is moving a lot faster than cannabis has ever moved for veterans,” Correa said. “Open-minded and willing to try and help veterans in ways that were innovative. He was open to thinking out of the box for the sake of our veterans.”
Correa expects Walz to bring that same attitude to other issue areas if elected vice president, which is why he’s been ecstatic since the pick was first announced.
“My first reaction is: I know this guy — he's a great pick!” Correa told Raw Story. “When it comes to vice presidents, you couldn't have picked a better guy, if you want to send the message: I'm here to get the job done, I'm here to take care of business and I'm here to take care of the taxpayers of this great country. I think that's what this pick sends a message of.”