Tim Walz facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tim Walz
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Walz in 2024
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| 41st Governor of Minnesota | |
| Assumed office January 7, 2019 |
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| Lieutenant | Peggy Flanagan |
| Preceded by | Mark Dayton |
| Ranking Member of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee |
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| In office January 3, 2017 – January 3, 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Mark Takano (acting) |
| Succeeded by | Phil Roe |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Minnesota's 1st district |
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| In office January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Gil Gutknecht |
| Succeeded by | Jim Hagedorn |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Timothy James Walz
April 6, 1964 West Point, Nebraska, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic (DFL) |
| Spouse |
Gwen Whipple
(m. 1994) |
| Children | 2 |
| Residences | Governor's Residence Eastcliff Mansion |
| Education |
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| Signature |  |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service |
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| Years of service | 1981–2005 |
| Rank | Command sergeant major |
| Unit | 1st Battalion, 125th Field Artillery Regiment |
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards |
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Timothy James Walz ( born April 6, 1964) is an American politician who has served since 2019 as the 41st governor of Minnesota. He was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 2007 to 2019, and the ranking member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee from 2017 to 2019. Walz was the Democratic nominee for vice president in the 2024 U.S. presidential election.
Walz was born in West Point, Nebraska. He joined the Army National Guard and worked a blue-collar manufacturing job after high school. He later graduated with a teaching degree from Chadron State College in Nebraska before moving to Minnesota in 1996. Before running for Congress, he was a social studies teacher and football coach in the Mankato school district. He was elected to the United States House of Representatives for Minnesota's 1st congressional district in 2006, defeating six-term Republican incumbent Gil Gutknecht. He was reelected five times, resigning in 2019 after being elected governor. Walz represented a large, mostly rural section of southern Minnesota situated along the border with Iowa.
Walz was elected governor of Minnesota on November 6, 2018, defeating the Republican nominee, Hennepin County commissioner Jeff Johnson. He was reelected in the 2022 Minnesota gubernatorial election, defeating Republican nominee Scott Jensen. Walz's tenure as governor has leveled criticism for a failure to deploy National Guard forces expeditiously during the George Floyd protests in 2020, as well as a failure to rein in pandemic-related fraud perpetrated by Minnesota non-profit Feeding our Future. However, he is credited with legislative successes in state infrastructure and environmental issues, tax modifications, free school meals, and gun background checks.
On August 6, 2024, Vice President Kamala Harris announced her selection of Walz as her running mate in the 2024 U.S. presidential election. Their ticket was defeated by Republican nominees Donald Trump and JD Vance.
Contents
Early life and education
Timothy James Walz was born on April 6, 1964, in West Point, Nebraska, to Darlene Rose Reiman, a homemaker, and James F. Walz, a public school administrator. Walz and his three siblings grew up in Valentine, Nebraska, a rural community in the northwestern part of the state. While Walz was in high school, his father was diagnosed with lung cancer. His family moved to Butte, Nebraska, in his sophomore year to be closer to his parents' relatives.
Walz graduated from Butte High School in 1982 with a class of 25 students. The next year, his father died. In 1989, he earned a Bachelor of Science in social science education from Chadron State College. Walz earned a Master of Science in educational leadership from Minnesota State University, Mankato in 2001.
Career
Teaching
After high school, Walz worked in manufacturing and served in the Army National Guard. He subsequently went to college to get a teaching degree like his father. After graduating from Chadron State College, he accepted a teaching position for a year with WorldTeach in China. After returning, Walz took a job teaching and coaching in Alliance, Nebraska, where he met his wife, Gwen Whipple, a fellow teacher. He and Gwen married in 1994, and moved two years later to Mankato in Minnesota, his wife's home state, where he worked as a geography teacher and coach at Mankato West High School. He coached the football team to its first state championship in 1999. In 1999, Walz agreed to be the faculty advisor of the first gay-straight alliance at Mankato West High School. Walz and his wife also ran Educational Travel Adventures, which organized summer educational trips for high school students to China.
Military service
With his father's encouragement, Walz enlisted in the Army National Guard when he turned 17. His father had served in the Korean War and paid for his education degree with the G.I. Bill, and wanted his son to have the same opportunity.
Walz served in the National Guard for 24 years after enlisting in 1981. During his military career, he had postings in Arkansas, Texas, the Arctic Circle, New Ulm, Minnesota, and elsewhere. He trained in heavy artillery. During his service, he worked in disaster response postings following floods and tornadoes and was deployed overseas on active duty for months. In 1989, he earned the title of Nebraska Citizen-Soldier of the Year. He was deployed post-9/11 for half a year to Europe to support Operation Enduring Freedom. His decorations included the Army Commendation Medal and two Army Achievement Medals. Walz attained the rank of command sergeant major near the end of his service, but retired as a master sergeant in 2005 for benefit purposes because he did not complete coursework at the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy.
U.S. House of Representatives
Elections
Walz volunteered for John Kerry's 2004 presidential campaign, and was soon appointed the campaign's coordinator for his county as well as a district coordinator of Vets for Kerry. In 2005, Walz completed the two-and-a-half-day campaigns and elections course at Camp Wellstone, a program run by Wellstone Action, the nonprofit organization Mark and David Wellstone created to carry on the work of their parents, Paul Wellstone and Sheila Wellstone. Walz subsequently announced his candidacy for Congress in 2006. He had no opponent for the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL) nomination in the September 12 primary election. He beat incumbent Republican Gil Gutknecht in the general election on November 7, and took office on January 3, 2007. After the election, Politico described Gutknecht as having been caught "off guard", and Walz as having "resolved never to get caught like that himself.... He packaged himself as a moderate from Day One, built an office centered on constituent service and carved out a niche as a tireless advocate for veterans."
Walz was reelected in 2008 with 62% of the vote, becoming only the second non-Republican to win a second full term in the district. He won a third term in 2010, defeating state representative Randy Demmer with 50% of the vote. He was reelected again in 2012, 2014, and 2016.
Tenure
Upon his swearing in, Walz became the highest-ranking retired enlisted soldier ever to serve in Congress, as well as only the fourth Democrat/DFLer to represent his district. The others were Thomas Wilson (1887–1889), William Harries (1891–1893), and Tim Penny (1983–1995). Walz served on the House Agriculture Committee, Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and the Armed Services Committee. Along with fellow Minnesota Democrat Keith Ellison, Walz opposed President Bush's plan to increase troop levels in Iraq. In his first week as a legislator, Walz cosponsored a bill to raise the minimum wage, voted for stem cell research, voted to allow Medicare to negotiate pharmaceutical prices, and voiced support for pay-as-you-go budget rules, requiring that new spending or tax changes not add to the federal deficit.
Even as he represented a district that had usually voted Republican, pundits described Walz's policy positions as ranging from moderate to liberal. He voted to advance the Affordable Care Act out of the House. He also voted to continue funding for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and against the 2008 Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) bill, which purchased troubled assets from financial institutions.
In 2013, he was named "legislator of the year" by the Air Force Sergeants Association. Walz was ranked the 7th-most bipartisan House member during the 114th Congress (and the most bipartisan member from Minnesota) in the Bipartisan Index created by the Lugar Center and the McCourt School of Public Policy, which ranks members of Congress by measuring how often their bills attract co-sponsors from the opposite party and how often they co-sponsor bills by members of the opposite party.
Committee assignments
- Committee on Agriculture
- Agriculture Subcommittee on Forestry
- Agriculture Subcommittee on Commodity Markets, Digital Assets, and Rural Development
- Committee on Veterans' Affairs (ranking member, 115th Congress)
- Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs
- Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity
Caucus memberships
- Chair, Congressional EMS Caucus
- Co-Chair, National Guard and Reserve Component Caucus
- Co-Chair, Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus
- Co-Chair, Congressional Veterans Jobs Caucus
- Member, LGBT Equality Caucus
- Congressional Arts Caucus
Governor of Minnesota
Elections
2018
Walz announced he would run for governor after Mark Dayton, the incumbent Democratic governor, chose not to seek a third term. On November 6, 2018, Walz was elected governor, defeating the Republican nominee, Hennepin County commissioner Jeff Johnson.
During the campaign, two senior retired NCOs of the Minnesota National Guard falsely accused Walz of fabricating facts about his service and lying about his military rank. The allegation about his military rank was debunked.
2022
Walz sought reelection in 2022. He won the August 9 Democratic primary and faced Republican nominee Scott Jensen in the November general election. On November 8, 2022, Walz defeated Jensen, 52.3% to 44.6%. Though Jensen fared better than Walz's opponent had in 2018 and made gains against Walz in Greater Minnesota, he did not overcome Walz's lead in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area.
Tenure
Walz was sworn in as governor of Minnesota on January 7, 2019, at the Fitzgerald Theater in Saint Paul. Walz took the oath of office alongside incoming lieutenant governor Peggy Flanagan, Minnesota secretary of state Steve Simon, Minnesota state auditor Julie Blaha, and Minnesota attorney general Keith Ellison, all Democrats. Walz spoke about education and healthcare reform in his inauguration speech.
NPVIC
On May 24, 2023, Walz signed an omnibus appropriations bill into law that included a section that adjoined Minnesota to the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact.
2023 legislative session
The 93rd Minnesota Legislature, in session from January to May 2023, was the first legislature to be fully Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party-controlled since the 88th Minnesota Legislature in 2013–2015. It passed several major reforms to Minnesota law, including requiring paid leave, banning noncompete agreements, increased spending on infrastructure and environmental issues, tax modifications, universal free school meals, and universal gun background checks. The Star Tribune called the session "one of the most consequential" ever in Minnesota; Walz called it the "most productive session in Minnesota history". While Walz signed almost all legislation passed by the legislature, he vetoed a bill intended to increase pay for rideshare drivers, his first veto as governor, saying that it did not strike the right balance.
2024 vice-presidential campaign
On July 22, 2024, Walz endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris after incumbent president Joe Biden withdrew from the 2024 presidential race. After a rapid selection process in which the Harris campaign also vetted Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, Arizona Senator Mark Kelly, Illinois Governor J. B. Pritzker, and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro (with Shapiro, Kelly and Walz being the only three to receive in-person interviews by Harris), Harris announced on August 6 that she had chosen Walz as her running mate.
The Democratic National Committee certified Walz's candidacy the same day it was announced. His selection was praised by an ideologically diverse group of politicians, including progressive Democratic representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, centrist independent senator Joe Manchin, and moderate Republican former governor of Maryland Larry Hogan.
Following their election loss, in March 2025, Walz expressed regret that the Harris campaign "played it too safe".
Political positions
Economic issues
During the economic crisis in 2008, Walz repeatedly spoke out against using taxpayer money to bail out financial institutions; in late September, he voted against the $700 billion TARP bill, which purchased troubled assets from these institutions. Walz released a statement after the bill's passage, saying, "The bill we voted on today passes the buck when it comes to recouping the losses taxpayers might suffer. I also regret that this bill does not do enough to help average homeowners, or provide sufficient oversight of Wall Street." For the same reasons, in December 2008, he voted against the bill that offered $14 billion in government loans to bail out the country's large automobile manufacturers. In June 2009 Walz introduced a bipartisan resolution calling on the federal government to "relinquish its temporary ownership interests in the General Motors Company and the Chrysler Group, LLC, as soon as possible" and stated that the government must not be involved in those companies' management decisions.
Despite his votes against bailout bills that loaned taxpayer money to large banks and auto manufacturers, Walz did vote with his Democratic colleagues to support the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. As a member of the House Transportation Committee, Walz saw the stimulus bill as an opportunity to work "with his congressional colleagues to make job creation through investment in public infrastructure like roads, bridges and clean energy the cornerstone of the economic recovery plan". Walz has focused heavily on job and economic issues important to his southern Minnesota district, which has a mix of larger employers like the Mayo Clinic along with small businesses and agricultural interests. In July 2009, he voted for the Enhancing Small Business Research and Innovation Act, which he described as "part of our long-term economic blueprint to spur job creation by encouraging America's entrepreneurs to innovate toward breakthrough technological advancements". Walz also urged assistance for hog and dairy farmers who struggled with lower prices for their commodities in 2008 and 2009.
Education
Walz was a public school teacher for 20 years. He opposes using merit pay for teachers. Voting in favor of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Walz pointed to its strong provisions in support of public school buildings. He is on record supporting legislation to lower tuition costs. In a February 12, 2009 speech, he said that the most important thing to do "to ensure a solid base for [America's] economic future … is to provide the best education possible for [American] children." Walz has received strong backing for these policies from many interest groups, including the National Education Association, the American Association of University Women and the National Association of Elementary School Principals.
Guns
While in Congress, Walz was a strong supporter of gun rights and was endorsed by the NRA Political Victory Fund (NRA-PVF) multiple times, receiving an A grade from the organization.
Labor and workers' rights
In 2023, Walz signed a law banning captive audience meetings and non-compete clauses. The law also mandated paid sick leave for employees and increased safety inspections, as well as ergonomics requirements to reduce the risk of repetitive strain injuries for warehouse, meatpacking, and healthcare facility workers. The law also added granted construction workers stronger protections against wage theft.
Veterans' issues
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Having served 24 years in the Army National Guard, as a freshman in Congress Walz was given a rare third committee membership when he was assigned to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Walz has championed enhanced veterans benefits since taking office in 2007. In May of that year, the House unanimously passed his "Traumatic Brain Injuries Center Act" to set up five centers around the nation to study traumatic brain injuries and develop improved models for caring for veterans suffering from such injuries.
Walz also supported the GI Bill of 2008, which expanded education benefits for veterans and in some cases allowed them to transfer education benefits to family members. In 2009, Walz gave the keynote address at the American Legion National Convention in Louisville. He spoke about the need for the VA and Department of Defense to work together to make sure that returning service men and women "do not fall through the cracks when they transition to civilian life".
Walz was the lead House sponsor of the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act, which directs the Veterans Administration to report on veteran mental health care and suicide prevention programs. It also gives the VA permission to provide incentives to psychiatrists who agree to join the VA medical system. In 2018, Walz introduced a bill that would amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow for a tax credit for employees who are deployed in the military.
Personal life
Walz and his wife, Gwen (1966–), married in 1994. They lived in Mankato, Minnesota, for nearly 20 years before moving to Saint Paul with their two children upon his election as governor. Walz is a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
As of 2024, Walz has a modest financial profile. He owns no businesses and lists no income besides his salary as governor and his wife's teaching salary.
Walz's brother Craig died after being hit by a falling tree during a storm in 2016. Craig was survived by his wife and their son, who suffered severe injuries.
See also
In Spanish: Tim Walz para niños
- United States congressional delegations from Minnesota
- List of United States representatives from Minnesota
