A Mankato DFLer representing the First Congressional District, Walz was elected in 2006. DFL powerbrokers have been hoping Walz would run, given his ability to garner votes in greater Minnesota. Walz has been re-elected in tough Democratic years like 2010 but barely squeaked by in 2016 despite facing weak opposition. Walz ran ahead of DFL presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, who lost the district by 15 points.
After losing the state Senate in 2016 and falling deeper into the minority in the House, DFLers say much is riding on the 2018 governor's race.
[...] The Minnesota Jobs Coalition, a Republican aligned group that has helped turn the Legislature Republican, released a statement, calling Walz a "Washington insider": "With his 10-year record as a liberal rubber stamp, Walz won't fool anyone when he claims he's a moderate," said John Rouleau, the group's executive director.
The attack is an attempt to preempt what will surely be a Walz campaign message, that he is not a typical DFLer. A gun owner who has been supported by the NRA, Walz has focused his energies in Washington on farm and military issues, including a recent appointment as ranking Democrat on the Committee on Veterans Affairs.
Walz said he would focus on issues like education, health care and transportation but first wants to hear from Minnesotans, espcially the seven congressional districts where he is largely unknown. Walz called the increasing geographic divisiveness of Minnesota politics a "false narrative" and touted his ability to bring Minnesotans together.
[italics added] In short: Haim can't buy you love.
Walz, to be taken seriously, needs to feel some of the Bern. REBECCA OTTO is running, not that she's progressive enough, but more so than Walz.
The Republicans seem intent on running Nancy Pelosi against Walz yet again, as with Rob Quist in Montana and Ossoff in Georgia. I know I would not ever vote for Nancy Pelosi, but for cause separate and apart from the Republican stupidity in calling her anything besides "wealth-corrupted corporatist" which is who she is and has been for too many recent years. Kept in leadership, "The Horror."
If anything is, in Walz terms, "false narrative" it is that Pelosi is anything but an equally problematic beltway equivalent of Paul Ryan, the only difference being gender and insipid condescending demeanor.
That Pelosi is in any meaningful way different from, say, Norm Coleman or Vin Webber, is a "false narrative" worthy of porpagation by Norm Coleman and Vin Webber, as entrenched beltway insiders with insufficient regard for actual truth.
Would Walz, if elected, prove a better governor than Tim Pawlenty. Sure, given that Donald Duck would be better than Tim Pawlenty. The bar has to be set higher than that. Walz is no Wellstone. REBECCA OTTO is closer to the Wellstone touchstone. Even if that does not play well in lesser Minnesota. Where, actually, Wellstone did reasonably well, integrity showing, as with either Walz or Otto.