10 Things You Didnt Know About Tim Walz

10-Things-You-Didnt-Know-About-Tim-Walz

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re breaking down the life and career of the Minnesota governor turned 2024 Democratic vice presidential candidate.

#10: Walz Enlisted in the National Guard at 17

Timothy James Walz showed interest in a life of public service from an early age. Inspired by his father who had done the same, Walz enlisted in the Army National Guard as soon as he was able to. James Walz, a veteran of the Korean War, had been able to pursue a postsecondary education thanks to the G.I. Bill which provided vets with academic opportunities. Enlisting in 1981, the future governor initially served for 20 years, reenlisting in 2001 following the tragic events of the 9/11 attacks on New York City. Walz retired from service in 2005 to run for Congress, having attained the rank of command sergeant major.

#9: John Kerry Gave Walz His Political Start

The roots of Walz’s political career were first planted in the city of Mankato, Minnesota. Born in West Point, Nebraska, Walz moved to Mankato, located in his wife Gwen’s home state, in 1996. There, he worked as a high school teacher and football coach, leading Mankato West High’s team of perennial losers to a state championship in 1999 — the school’s first. Fittingly enough, Walz was inspired by his students to volunteer for Massachusetts Senator John Kerry’s unsuccessful 2004 presidential campaign against incumbent President George W. Bush. Troubled after taking them to a Bush rally, Walz got a job coordinating the Kerry campaign in Mankato.

#8: Love at First Sight? Not Quite

Walz’s choice in romantic partner is pretty fitting — Gwen Walz (née Whipple) is also a teacher by trade. In fact, the First Lady of Minnesota’s parents were teachers, too. Bearing a BA from Gustavus Adolphus College, as well as a master’s degree from Minnesota State University, Mankato, Gwen moved to Alliance, Nebraska to pursue a teaching career. You’ve probably figured it out by now, but this is where she first encountered her future husband, Tim. It’s a good thing they ended up liking each other: they once shared a classroom! While Gwen declined a kiss at the end of their first date, Walz responded with “That’s fine, but you should know I’m going to marry you.”

#7: Walz’s First Election Was a Major Upset

Vice President Kamala Harris’ VP pick is no stranger to catching Republicans off-guard (a little more on that later). As we mentioned earlier, Walz retired from active military service in 2005, launching his campaign to represent Minnesota’s first congressional district on February 10th of that year. From the beginning, Walz’s campaign faced a seemingly insurmountable uphill battle: since 1995, the district had been represented by Gil Gutknecht, a Republican. Furthermore, save for Gutknecht’s predecessor, its constituents had consistently voted red since 1893. Described by Politico as “a tireless advocate for veterans,” Walz, perhaps even to his own surprise, won the election with 53% of the vote.

#6: He’s Fine With Looking His Age

In an unusual and definitely unexpected turn of events, Walz was the subject of Republican attacks for his age and appearance. For context, Walz and Kamala Harris are about the same age; Walz is slightly over six months older than Harris. As reported by Rhonda Garelick for the New York Times, a significant amount of discourse surrounding the vice presidential candidate has focused on Walz’s age with regard to his appearance, particularly when juxtaposed with Harris’ reported “youthfulness.” In response, Walz commented that, as an educator, he had overseen school lunchrooms for over 20 years, and that “[y]ou do not leave that job with a full head of hair. Trust me.”

#5: The Story Behind His Controversial Military Retirement

As previously mentioned, Walz filed papers to run for Congress in February 2005, just ahead of his retirement from military service that May. As reported by Fox News, Walz signaled his intention to retire approximately five to seven months prior to doing so, later commenting that he was committed to his congressional campaign and wanted to avoid any potential conflicts of interest. While some Republicans — including Walz’s vice presidential rival, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio — accused him of “abandoning” his unit, the Minnesota National Guard confirmed that Walz had retired two months before they received news of their deployment. That ultimately occurred in March 2006.

#4: How the NRA Demoted Him From an “A” to an “F”

Speaking to the Minnesota Star Tribune in 2018 just prior to the gubernatorial election, Walz recalled “how he and friends would bring their guns to school so they could hunt after football practice.” A lifelong gun owner, Walz consistently received an “A” rating from the National Rifle Association of America, as well as multiple endorsements. However, one event irrevocably changed Walz’s views on gun rights: the 2018 attack at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland. Disgusted, Walz donated any money that the NRA had sent his way to the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, and since achieving statewide office, has consistently pursued tighter restrictions on gun ownership.

#3: His Progressive Track Record Has Deep Roots

As you’ve seen in the previous entry, Walz’s political views and opinions have shifted significantly over his decades in public service. However, his commitment to and support for progressive causes has been unwavering. While teaching at Mankato West, Walz stepped up to act as the faculty advisor for the school’s gay-straight alliance, organized by student Jacob Reitan. In 2018, Walz commented on why he had decided to take on the role, explaining that “It really needed to be the football coach, who was the soldier and was straight and was married.” Walz is also a strong proponent of the legal right to an abortion, has been demonstrably pro-union, and has signed into law numerous protections for the LGBTQ+ community.

#2: He’s Clarified That Not All Republicans Are “Weird”

Okay, so chances are you’ve probably heard Walz’s now-famous description of the 2024 Republican presidential ticket. In his first public remarks following his selection as Vice President Harris’ running mate, Walz referred to former President Donald Trump and Sen. JD Vance by saying the following: “These guys are creepy and, yes, just weird as hell.” To more deeply understand Walz’s attack on the two, look back to a 2023 Politico interview. Walz said “When we’re running against the generic Republican, our races are always really close, but there’s no such thing [as a generic Republican]. These guys are weird. Once they start running, their weirdness shows up, and especially with the nominee on the other side.”

#1: The One Thing Walz & His Republican Counterpart Have in Common

And no, it’s not their love for Diet Mountain Dew. Rather, somewhat unusually, Walz and JD Vance share an increasingly rare distinction: as reported by CNN in August 2024, for the first time in almost 30 years, both VP candidates were once enlisted servicemen. Although the two have (predictably) been at odds over the thing that bonds them, with Vance openly critical of the details of Walz’s service, it’s important to note that their respective time serving has deeply shaped their approaches to campaigning, as well as governing. That said, Walz doesn’t tie his political career exclusively to his time served, musing that “It wasn’t all of who I was. It wasn’t central to the reason I was running.”

Who’s your favorite governor of Minnesota? Let us know in the comments below!