For some rural Democrats in Congress, the elevation of a presidential nominee from deep-blue, coastal California might hurt more than it helps. To balance the ticket, they’re arguing Kamala Harris needs to tap a running mate who can speak to voters in “fly-over” country.
At the top of their wish list: Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
Although Harris outperforms President Joe Biden across key voting blocs, Democrats running in rural, competitive districts this fall fear the former California senator and attorney general is poised to do even worse there than the president — especially in battleground states in the upper Midwest. The 60-year-old Walz, who served 12 years in Congress representing a red, mostly rural southern Minnesota district, could bring the “guy you would meet at a backyard barbecue in the Midwest” vibes to the ticket, they argue, which could help hold off another Democratic free fall in rural regions.
I think “sensible” is a signifier for “socially conservative” in this case.
ETA: I mean midwesterners generally. I’m not calling Tim Walz socially conservative.
Minnesota has designated itself a refuge state for the trans community seeking access to healthcare, so no, not really.
Oh! I’m misunderstood!
I didn’t mean Walz in particular is socially conservative. I meant that when people say midwesterners are sensible in general, they mean “not a bunch of weirdos like on the coasts.”
Ah, ok. Yeah, I didn’t grok that from the original post.
To still provide something of a counter point, I think the urban rural divide exists as much in the coastal states as it does in the midwest. These attitudes exist to greater it lesser degrees pretty much anywhere you go. On balance though, there is a lot more corn in the midwest than in the coastal states, if you catch my meaning.