Despite six successful congressional elections and one gubernatorial victory, Democrat Gov. Tim Walz faces an uphill battle in rural Minnesota, where support for former President Trump remains strong.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, the Democratic vice presidential nominee, has encountered challenges in rural areas, with voters shifting away from him in recent elections. According to a report by Politico, the once-solid support for Walz in Freeborn County, a rural Midwest town of 18,000, has diminished significantly.
Terry Gjersvik, a local Democrat who unsuccessfully ran for a state house seat in 2018, observed that "Trump has never been stronger in rural areas." While Minnesota is not considered a key battleground state, national and state polls indicate that Trump maintains strong support in rural communities and small towns.
Tim Walz Loses Ground in Rural Minnesota as Voters Swing Towards Trump
Despite these obstacles, the Harris-Walz campaign continues to target rural areas ahead of the November election. Veteran pollster and Harris adviser John Anzalone believes that improving voter turnout in these areas could have a significant impact.
"If you can do a couple points better, five points better, in those rural areas, and you multiply that by all the rural areas in those states, it's a big deal," Anzalone said. He further noted that Walz is "the first nominee in modern history, maybe since [Jimmy] Carter, who can talk small town America, rural America."
Tim Walz Loses Ground in Rural Minnesota as Voters Swing Towards Trump
Interviews with Freeborn County residents by Politico revealed that many former Democrat voters now plan to support Trump. Mayor Rich Murray predicted that Harris and Walz would win the state but acknowledged that the governor would struggle to secure votes in rural areas. This shift began in 2016 and continued in Walz's 2022 reelection campaign, where he lost Freeborn County by a significant margin.
During his early political career, Walz projected a moderate stance, but as governor, he signed legislation enacting universal background checks, free school lunches, and protections for abortion and gender transitions. These policies and his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic did not resonate with voters in places like Freeborn County.
Tim Walz Loses Ground in Rural Minnesota as Voters Swing Towards Trump
"I call it the Democrat 'smash and grab' in the Capitol," Freeborn resident Karla Salier stated. "They went for everything they could get to make us a sanctuary for transgenders and illegals."
Eric Ostermeier, a politics professor at the University of Minnesota, attributed the shift in support to the polarization of voters and their increased willingness to prioritize party over personality.
Tim Walz Loses Ground in Rural Minnesota as Voters Swing Towards Trump
"I think the voters changed," Ostermeier said. "Because I think with people in their information silos and increasingly characterizing the other side as evil, it's difficult for people to say, well, there is this one good Democrat and I'm still going to vote for him."
While the Harris-Walz campaign targets rural areas, they face an uphill battle in countering the growing support for Trump among rural voters. The campaign acknowledges that improving voter turnout in these areas could be crucial but will require addressing the concerns and grievances of rural residents.
