As the party’s 2024 vice presidential contender attempts to maintain the high national visibility he earned when Kamala Harris chose him as her running partner, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz will try to inspire activists at Democratic state conventions in South Carolina and California on Saturday.
The South Carolina event in Columbia, which is customarily a platform for national-level Democrats and White House candidates, will be keynoted by Walz, a former schoolteacher who went to Congress before becoming the governor of his state.
At the party’s fundraising event on Friday night, Maryland Governor Wes Moore, another prominent figure who frequently makes those lists, gave a speech.
The first Democratic presidential primary of the 2024 campaign was held in South Carolina, and the party is hoping to repeat as the front-runner in 2028.
However, party officials in Iowa, New Hampshire, and Nevada are also competing to go first, while the national party organizations have not yet finalized their 2028 calendars.
When announcing his presence earlier this month, the South Carolina party wrote on social media, “From the classroom to the governor’s office, Tim Walz leads with compassion and common sense. He’s proof that you can govern with both heart and backbone, and he’s bringing that message to South Carolina”
As California Democrats convene in Anaheim on Saturday, Walz, one of several prospective 2028 contenders who have been visiting early-voting states, will also be a featured speaker.
“We’re fired up to welcome Minnesota Governor Tim Walz to the Convention stage in Anaheim,” state chair Rusty Hicks stated. “He’s a former teacher, a veteran, and a trailblazer who’s spent his career fighting for working families and standing up for the values we all share — fairness, dignity, and opportunity for all.”
Since Harris’ defeat by President Donald Trump in November, Democrats have been arguing about the party’s future. Democratic supporters’ significant dissatisfaction with their leaders’ inability to mount a strong enough defense against Trump, who has adopted a far more assertive position during his second term in office, are reflected in that self-examination.
Although he hasn’t made a formal announcement, Walz admits he is considering running for a third term in 2026.
After calling a special session of the sharply split Minnesota Legislature to complete work on the state’s next budget, he stated that he would likely postpone making a decision until July. Even while he meets with legislative leaders frequently, such conversations have progressed slowly.
He has continued to criticize Trump while sending conflicting messages about a 2028 presidential campaign.
In a March interview with The New Yorker Radio Hour, he stated that if the situation were appropriate, he would “certainly consider that.” He stated that he was “not thinking about running in 2028” last month.
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He hasn’t completely ruled it out, either, and has made other indications of potential interest.
After House Speaker Mike Johnson advised GOP representatives to refrain from holding town halls due to protests at them, Walz went back on the road in March after the Democratic ticket lost in November. He traveled to Iowa to begin a series of town halls in competitive congressional districts that were represented by Republicans.
His trips have been utilized in “Support Tim on the Road” fundraising pitches for Walz’s gubernatorial campaign organization, which has been actively raising funds.
“For the past few weeks, I’ve been showing up where Republicans won’t,” he stated. “I’ve hosted town halls in Iowa, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Texas to hear from people the GOP is neglecting.”
