Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz expressed surprise and disappointment in a post-election interview, stating that he and Vice President Kamala Harris, his running mate, lost to President-elect Donald Trump despite their efforts to appeal to middle-class voters.
Walz, who billed himself as a more middle-class candidate compared to Trump, a billionaire, said he was puzzled by the outcome. “How in the world did we lose to a billionaire or a venture capitalist, when we were making the case of a country attorney and a high school teacher?” he asked.
Walz also noted that he thought his more humble economic status would have resonated with voters, saying, “And I thought that would be something people say, ‘Well, this guy knows where we’re coming from. He’s had to pay his bills and still does.'”
Despite his efforts to focus on middle-class issues, Walz acknowledged that the Democratic Party did not effectively communicate their appeal to these voters. “So, I come back to the conclusion, is we did not do a good enough job – we as a Democratic Party and we as a ticket – did not do a good enough job of showing them that we understand where they’re coming from,” he said.
Walz also expressed frustration that his party’s message was not heard by the majority of Americans, who instead chose to vote for Trump. “They chose to vote with a billionaire, who’s talked about not paying overtime, who has a long history of not paying his workers, someone who wants to take away the ACA,” he said.
The governor concluded that the Democratic Party needs to find a way to better connect with middle-class voters and make the case that they are focused on the issues that matter to them.
