Democrats Temper Expectations for Walz Before VP Debate
Some Minnesota Democrats are curious about how Walz will respond to the onslaught of attacks from Vance, considering the governor’s inclination to shut down discussions when confronted with his missteps in private.
TroibNews 
Governor Tim Walz does not have a reputation as a strong debater.
According to fellow Minnesota Democrats, behind closed doors, the personable and fun-loving governor can become defensive when addressing his mistakes. During his initial campaign in 2006, he garnered a reputation for speaking so rapidly that one supporter described him as “a bit manic.” A former supporter recollected that at one of Walz’s early fundraisers, he spoke for 45 minutes straight, without notes and seemingly without taking a breath.
As Walz prepares for his debate with JD Vance next week—his most prominent event in the presidential campaign to date—some allies have expressed concerns that he may not measure up to Vice President Kamala Harris’ performance against former President Donald Trump. Harris was perceived as the clear winner of that September 10 debate, having successfully drawn Trump into traps and delivered sharp retorts.
“She did so strong. She's actually made it very difficult for Walz, because I don't see any way that he could match her level of intensity and humor,” noted one Walz ally who spoke on the condition of anonymity to share candid insights.
With no additional debates set, the October 1 discussion could be the most crucial national campaign event before November, increasing pressure on both campaigns to make a compelling closing argument. Each side will leverage the debate to highlight their successes while critiquing the other’s record, especially with Harris and Trump in a near dead heat.
For Walz, this likely involves defending his actions during the 2020 riots in Minneapolis that followed George Floyd’s murder, as well as addressing his administration’s involvement in distributing $250 million in COVID recovery funds to a nonprofit that later turned out to be fraudulent. House Republicans have issued subpoenas for Walz regarding these pandemic-era funds.
Harris’ campaign is already setting expectations for Walz, stating publicly and privately that Vance, a Yale Law School graduate with two years of Senate experience, is a skilled debater capable of articulating detailed policy points.
Brian Fallon, a senior aide in the Harris campaign, acknowledged Vance's abilities, saying he was “a very sharp, skilled debater” during a recent podcast interview with PMG, but added, “But he’ll have to defend the Trump record.”
Walz’s team is bracing for an onslaught of criticism from Vance, who has labeled the Minnesota governor a radical leftist and a serial “liar” regarding key aspects of his biography. Walz and his team have characterized many of the accusations as a revival of discredited attacks from Minnesota Republicans dating back to his time in Congress.
However, Walz remains largely untested on the national stage and has never had to contend with the kind of direct questioning Vance is likely to deploy, including inquiries about the governor’s questionable use of his retired military rank—a point of concern for some of his allies.
"We've never seen him on the national scale before," remarked a Minnesota Democratic operative, who also requested anonymity to express their thoughts candidly.
A spokesman for the Harris-Walz campaign declined to provide specifics but reiterated that the debate would offer “another clear opportunity” for Walz to contrast Harris’ vision for the country with Trump’s.
In the weeks leading up to the debate, Walz has intensified his preparation both at home and on the campaign trail. Recently, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg took on the role of Vance during a practice session in Minneapolis. Walz and his team then officially kicked off debate camp in Harbor Springs, Michigan, according to three sources familiar with the arrangements. They conducted thorough preparation sessions earlier this week before the governor traveled to New York.
Harris has informed Walz that Buttigieg performed well during her mock debates with Mike Pence in the 2020 campaign, according to a source briefed on their discussions. Rob Friedlander and Zayn Siddique, alumni of the Biden White House, are guiding Walz’s prep efforts.
Walz’s allies have expressed concerns that he can become excessively defensive and may disengage when faced with stressful inquiries regarding his past mistakes, even from his own party members in Minnesota. This behavior might be manageable for him as a governor with a majority in the state legislature, they caution, but he needs to avoid this in his upcoming debate with Vance.
“He can be very: ‘That’s it I’m done,’” explained one state lawmaker from Walz’s Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, who also requested anonymity for an honest discussion.
The governor’s sometimes gruff and brash demeanor was a topic during Harris’ vetting process for the vice presidential role. Her team even contacted some of Walz’s former House colleagues to examine his record and temperament.
Another Democratic lawmaker recalled instances when Walz would abruptly conclude meetings when pressed about topics he preferred not to discuss further. Numerous Democratic state legislators shared similar memories.
During the peak of the Minneapolis riots in 2020, Walz participated in a call with state Democratic lawmakers from areas outside the Twin Cities, where protests were growing following the police killing of unarmed Black man George Floyd. Lawmakers from these regions were already feeling pressure from constituents resistant to the governor’s aggressive pandemic measures.
On the call, one Democratic lawmaker persistently pressed Walz on his handling of the riots, questioning why he had not called in the National Guard more promptly. At a certain point, Walz indicated he was done with the discussion.
“I don't think he hung up, but definitely that was it. The call was over,” recounted a third Democratic lawmaker.
“At times, he could be the exact opposite of what he usually is. That was one of them,” added the lawmaker.
Lawmakers have noted that the governor excels at criticizing Republicans in friendly media interviews or while rallying supporters, but he often struggles with engaging in back-and-forth discussions. Despite some calls from Democrats and media pundits for the Harris campaign to “Let Walz be Walz” post-debate, many Democratic legislators in Minnesota have observed that the governor has been increasingly shielded from public scrutiny under the careful watch of his staff, which has limited his state travels and impromptu press interactions since the pandemic.
Walz recently told Spectrum News, “I’m working hard, continuing to try and learn the issues,” assuring that he is “making sure that I have all those facts to back that up.”
Debating detailed economic policy with Vance is a subject of particular concern for Harris’ team, according to two campaign officials granted anonymity. Buttigieg has indicated that he intends to focus on Vance’s “faux populism” during their debate preparations.
Vance, who is also engaged in debate prep, articulated recent critiques of Harris’ record, saying it has resulted in “unaffordable groceries and unaffordable housing.” He added, “We feel a lot more confident, and frankly you don't have to prepare if you don’t have to hide what you say."
As Walz navigates the campaign trail, attempting to balance being an assertive attack dog with being a more approachable figure for undecided voters, he has conveyed that a major task ahead is clarifying how Harris’ economic proposals will benefit all Americans. However, he has occasionally struggled to provide a specific explanation of that vision. At a recent private meeting with leading CEOs at the Business Roundtable, Walz repeatedly mentioned the term “opportunity economy” in a way that left some attendees feeling it was overly vague, given concerns it may lead to increasing the national deficit, according to a person familiar with the dialogue who requested anonymity.
In recent days on the campaign trail, Walz appears to be sharpening his criticisms of Vance.
He has challenged the GOP presidential ticket regarding health care while portraying Vance as an out-of-touch “venture capitalist” and has criticized the senator’s support for cutting U.S. aid to Ukraine during its conflict with Russia.
Moreover, Walz aims to associate Vance and Trump with North Carolina’s scandal-ridden Lt. Gov. and gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson, who reportedly referred to himself as a “black NAZI!” on a pornographic website’s message boards.
“We’ve got folks running as Republicans for governor that are proud to refer to themselves as Nazis,” Walz declared to a crowd of 3,000 in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, earlier this month. “Let’s not pretend that there’s a gradual difference between the folks that are running here.”
Hailey Fuchs, Adam Wren, and Meridith McGraw contributed to this report.
Ian Smith contributed to this report for TROIB News
According to fellow Minnesota Democrats, behind closed doors, the personable and fun-loving governor can become defensive when addressing his mistakes. During his initial campaign in 2006, he garnered a reputation for speaking so rapidly that one supporter described him as “a bit manic.” A former supporter recollected that at one of Walz’s early fundraisers, he spoke for 45 minutes straight, without notes and seemingly without taking a breath.
As Walz prepares for his debate with JD Vance next week—his most prominent event in the presidential campaign to date—some allies have expressed concerns that he may not measure up to Vice President Kamala Harris’ performance against former President Donald Trump. Harris was perceived as the clear winner of that September 10 debate, having successfully drawn Trump into traps and delivered sharp retorts.
“She did so strong. She's actually made it very difficult for Walz, because I don't see any way that he could match her level of intensity and humor,” noted one Walz ally who spoke on the condition of anonymity to share candid insights.
With no additional debates set, the October 1 discussion could be the most crucial national campaign event before November, increasing pressure on both campaigns to make a compelling closing argument. Each side will leverage the debate to highlight their successes while critiquing the other’s record, especially with Harris and Trump in a near dead heat.
For Walz, this likely involves defending his actions during the 2020 riots in Minneapolis that followed George Floyd’s murder, as well as addressing his administration’s involvement in distributing $250 million in COVID recovery funds to a nonprofit that later turned out to be fraudulent. House Republicans have issued subpoenas for Walz regarding these pandemic-era funds.
Harris’ campaign is already setting expectations for Walz, stating publicly and privately that Vance, a Yale Law School graduate with two years of Senate experience, is a skilled debater capable of articulating detailed policy points.
Brian Fallon, a senior aide in the Harris campaign, acknowledged Vance's abilities, saying he was “a very sharp, skilled debater” during a recent podcast interview with PMG, but added, “But he’ll have to defend the Trump record.”
Walz’s team is bracing for an onslaught of criticism from Vance, who has labeled the Minnesota governor a radical leftist and a serial “liar” regarding key aspects of his biography. Walz and his team have characterized many of the accusations as a revival of discredited attacks from Minnesota Republicans dating back to his time in Congress.
However, Walz remains largely untested on the national stage and has never had to contend with the kind of direct questioning Vance is likely to deploy, including inquiries about the governor’s questionable use of his retired military rank—a point of concern for some of his allies.
"We've never seen him on the national scale before," remarked a Minnesota Democratic operative, who also requested anonymity to express their thoughts candidly.
A spokesman for the Harris-Walz campaign declined to provide specifics but reiterated that the debate would offer “another clear opportunity” for Walz to contrast Harris’ vision for the country with Trump’s.
In the weeks leading up to the debate, Walz has intensified his preparation both at home and on the campaign trail. Recently, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg took on the role of Vance during a practice session in Minneapolis. Walz and his team then officially kicked off debate camp in Harbor Springs, Michigan, according to three sources familiar with the arrangements. They conducted thorough preparation sessions earlier this week before the governor traveled to New York.
Harris has informed Walz that Buttigieg performed well during her mock debates with Mike Pence in the 2020 campaign, according to a source briefed on their discussions. Rob Friedlander and Zayn Siddique, alumni of the Biden White House, are guiding Walz’s prep efforts.
Walz’s allies have expressed concerns that he can become excessively defensive and may disengage when faced with stressful inquiries regarding his past mistakes, even from his own party members in Minnesota. This behavior might be manageable for him as a governor with a majority in the state legislature, they caution, but he needs to avoid this in his upcoming debate with Vance.
“He can be very: ‘That’s it I’m done,’” explained one state lawmaker from Walz’s Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, who also requested anonymity for an honest discussion.
The governor’s sometimes gruff and brash demeanor was a topic during Harris’ vetting process for the vice presidential role. Her team even contacted some of Walz’s former House colleagues to examine his record and temperament.
Another Democratic lawmaker recalled instances when Walz would abruptly conclude meetings when pressed about topics he preferred not to discuss further. Numerous Democratic state legislators shared similar memories.
During the peak of the Minneapolis riots in 2020, Walz participated in a call with state Democratic lawmakers from areas outside the Twin Cities, where protests were growing following the police killing of unarmed Black man George Floyd. Lawmakers from these regions were already feeling pressure from constituents resistant to the governor’s aggressive pandemic measures.
On the call, one Democratic lawmaker persistently pressed Walz on his handling of the riots, questioning why he had not called in the National Guard more promptly. At a certain point, Walz indicated he was done with the discussion.
“I don't think he hung up, but definitely that was it. The call was over,” recounted a third Democratic lawmaker.
“At times, he could be the exact opposite of what he usually is. That was one of them,” added the lawmaker.
Lawmakers have noted that the governor excels at criticizing Republicans in friendly media interviews or while rallying supporters, but he often struggles with engaging in back-and-forth discussions. Despite some calls from Democrats and media pundits for the Harris campaign to “Let Walz be Walz” post-debate, many Democratic legislators in Minnesota have observed that the governor has been increasingly shielded from public scrutiny under the careful watch of his staff, which has limited his state travels and impromptu press interactions since the pandemic.
Walz recently told Spectrum News, “I’m working hard, continuing to try and learn the issues,” assuring that he is “making sure that I have all those facts to back that up.”
Debating detailed economic policy with Vance is a subject of particular concern for Harris’ team, according to two campaign officials granted anonymity. Buttigieg has indicated that he intends to focus on Vance’s “faux populism” during their debate preparations.
Vance, who is also engaged in debate prep, articulated recent critiques of Harris’ record, saying it has resulted in “unaffordable groceries and unaffordable housing.” He added, “We feel a lot more confident, and frankly you don't have to prepare if you don’t have to hide what you say."
As Walz navigates the campaign trail, attempting to balance being an assertive attack dog with being a more approachable figure for undecided voters, he has conveyed that a major task ahead is clarifying how Harris’ economic proposals will benefit all Americans. However, he has occasionally struggled to provide a specific explanation of that vision. At a recent private meeting with leading CEOs at the Business Roundtable, Walz repeatedly mentioned the term “opportunity economy” in a way that left some attendees feeling it was overly vague, given concerns it may lead to increasing the national deficit, according to a person familiar with the dialogue who requested anonymity.
In recent days on the campaign trail, Walz appears to be sharpening his criticisms of Vance.
He has challenged the GOP presidential ticket regarding health care while portraying Vance as an out-of-touch “venture capitalist” and has criticized the senator’s support for cutting U.S. aid to Ukraine during its conflict with Russia.
Moreover, Walz aims to associate Vance and Trump with North Carolina’s scandal-ridden Lt. Gov. and gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson, who reportedly referred to himself as a “black NAZI!” on a pornographic website’s message boards.
“We’ve got folks running as Republicans for governor that are proud to refer to themselves as Nazis,” Walz declared to a crowd of 3,000 in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, earlier this month. “Let’s not pretend that there’s a gradual difference between the folks that are running here.”
Hailey Fuchs, Adam Wren, and Meridith McGraw contributed to this report.
Ian Smith contributed to this report for TROIB News
