Minnesota Governor and Democratic vice-presidential candidate Tim Walz took the stage at a California fundraiser on Tuesday to proclaim that the Electoral College “needs to go.”
As reported by CNN,
“I think all of us know the Electoral College needs to go. We need, we need [a] national popular vote, but that’s not the world we live in. So we need to win Beaver County, Pennsylvania. We need to be able to go into York, Pennsylvania, win. We need to be in western Wisconsin and win. We need to be in Reno, Nevada, and win,” the Democratic vice presidential nominee told supporters gathered at Gov. Gavin Newsom’s private residence in Sacramento, according to the pool report.
The report adds that the Harris campaign swiftly backtracked Walz’s lamentations. In a provided statement, they emphasized that Walz actually believes that “every vote matters in the Electoral College.” They also portrayed his travels through battleground states as a noble quest to secure the necessary 270 electoral votes. In his remarks, Walz was merely “[commending and] thanking [the donors] for their support that is helping fund those efforts,” added the campaign.
According to Politico, Walz made similar comments at a fundraiser in Seattle earlier that same day.
Harris-Walz Record
CNN reminded readers that Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris has previously shown interest in discussing the potential abolition of the Electoral College. During a 2019 interview, while running for president, Harris stated she was “open to the discussion,” noting that the popular vote has lost its significance in determining the presidency.
According to The New York Times, Walz has previously shown support for moving away from the current voting system in favor of a popular vote. Last year, as governor, he signed legislation that added Minnesota to the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, an agreement in which states pledge to award their electoral votes to the national popular vote winner. The outlet called the agreement “an end run on the Constitution” allowing “states to skirt the Electoral College.”
Just recently, at a fundraiser in New York, hosted by investor Alex Soros and former Clinton staffer Huma Abedin, Walz reiterated his criticism of the Electoral College. According to Politico, during the event, he expressed “hope for the country,” but emphasized his “pragmatic” understanding of the system. Acknowledging the close nature of swing states, Walz noted that while he supports a shift to a national popular vote, he and Vice President Harris remain focused on “the energy” and momentum in critical battleground states under the current electoral framework.
Frustration with Federalism
Walz’s frustration with the Electoral College is evident. He has to appeal to small towns and rural areas such as Beaver County, Pennsylvania, and swing regions in Wisconsin and Nevada. Representing a mix of rural, industrial, and blue-collar workers, with diverse political leanings that can shift between elections, these voters often prioritize issues such as economic stability, job security, healthcare, and local industry support, particularly in regions affected by shifts in manufacturing and agriculture. Unlike voters in more urban, liberal-leaning areas, these communities often focus more on pragmatic concerns rather than broad ideological platforms.