Walz holds rally at UWS
“We all do better when we all do better.” Walz quoted former Minnesota senator Paul Wellstone to the crowd of around 1,200 people. Photo by Seth Roeser.
Correction: This article was updated to correct the spelling of Isabella Lyste.
Minnesota Gov. and Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz held a rally at the University of Wisconsin-Superior as part of the Harris-Walz campaign’s “New Way Forward” tour on Saturday, Sept. 14. The event – hosted in the Mertz Mortorelli Gymnasium – featured speeches by mayor of Superior Jim Paine, Wisconsin Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski, Minnesota first lady Gwen Walz and UWS student Isabella Lyste.
“Hello neighbors!” Walz said. “Few places better on an early fall day than to be in northern Wisconsin and Minnesota.”
Wisconsin is considered a battleground state after former President Donald Trump won the state in 2016, ending Wisconsin’s seven election long blue streak. President Joe Biden managed to flip Wisconsin for the Democrats again in the 2020 election, but only by 20,000 votes – a gap Wisconsin Democrats are hoping to widen.
“We’ve got a lot of work to do in 52 days,” Walz said. “But we’re pretty lucky. We’ve got some incredible folks back here up in this part of the country.”
Walz mentioned the race for the Minnesota House of Representatives 8th district seat, endorsing former representative Jen Schultz and criticizing representative Pete Stauber’s denial of the results of the 2020 election.
“I’ll give you two reasons why [Pete Stauber] shouldn’t be there,” Walz said. “Denying the 2020 election should disqualify you from service, and when those 4,000 jobs are replacing the Blatnik Bridge, don’t come over here when you voted against it and tell us you had something to do with it.”
“I want you to know if you needed me to, I would come and shovel your driveway!” Gwen Walz said. “And I bet you’d come and shovel mine!”
Walz emphasized Midwestern values shared between Minnesota and Wisconsin, such as helping your neighbors and “minding your own damn business.” He praised Harris’ performance in the Sept. 10 debate, and railed against Trump’s character and debate talking points.
“His true colors were on full display – not his makeup, but his character,” Walz said.
“You saw that caricature of an old man shaking his hand at the clouds and telling kids to get off his yard. Obsessed with the past and, this is what’s unforgivable, rooting against the American people.”
The rally marked Walz’s fourth Wisconsin visit since becoming Vice President Harris’ running mate in early August. He is set to face off against Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance on Oct. 1, in a debate hosted by CBS.