Tim Walz is losing his home country to Trump

MANKATO, Minn. (TNND) – The 2024 presidential election was a tough blow for Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.

Vice President Kamala Harris' running mate lost her home district to President-elect Donald Trump, a blow on an already lackluster night for Democrats.

Trump received 49.6% of the reported votes in Blue Earth County, where Walz's family lived for 20 years, while Harris received 48.3%.

The nation met the Minnesota governor in late August during his prime-time debut as Harris' vice presidential running mate on the third night of the Democratic National Convention.

I ended up teaching social studies and coaching football at Mankato West High School,” Walz said during his DNC speech. “It was these players and my students who inspired me to run for Congress.”

Walz gained popularity in Minnesota when he managed to flip a Republican congressional seat into a Democratic seat in 2006. Blue Earth County was Walz's launching pad for his 12 years in Congress, representing Minnesota's 1st Congressional District.

Walz, who marketed himself as a moderate, continued his winning streak when he decided to leave the House, winning by double digits against his Republican opponent in the 2018 Minnesota gubernatorial race.

After his victory, Walz moved his family of four from their small hometown to the governor's mansion in Saint Paul, Minnesota, the state capital. Shortly after the transition, they sold their Mankato home.

Although Walz played an active role in the Harris campaign, he has faced scrutiny this election season for past misrepresentations. CNN anchor Dana Bash asked Walz during an interview in August about allegations that he lied about his deployment to an active war zone. The controversy prompted the Trump campaign to accuse Walz of violating the Stolen Valor Act.

The Democratic vice presidential nominee said he misspoke, adding that he openly expressed his feelings while speaking about a passionate topic.

Yes, I said – we talked about this in this case, this was after a school shooting, about the idea of ​​carrying these weapons of war,” Walz told CNN. “(My) wife, the English teacher, told me my grammar wasn’t always correct.”

Since Trump's historic re-election early Wednesday morning, Walz has not posted on social media or made any public appearances. Harris officials said the vice president will address the nation on Wednesday at 6 p.m. EST.

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