Recent polls have shown that Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (D), who is also Vice President Kamala Harris’ VP pick, does not have a significant positive rating among state voters. The survey conducted by KARE 11/MPR News/Minnesota Star Tribune revealed that less than half of the respondents (48%) have a favorable view of the Democrat governor while an almost equal percentage (47%) hold unfavorable views towards him. Additionally, five percent of the respondents had no opinion on Governor Walz.
The majority of Democrats in Minnesota have a positive opinion about Governor Walz, with 92% expressing a favorable view. However, most Republicans share an unfavorable view, with 93% expressing dissatisfaction towards him. Independents lean more towards an unfavorable opinion, as 50% viewed the governor negatively and only 42% had a positive outlook.
The poll results also revealed that women are more likely to rate Governor Walz positively (57% favorable, 38% unfavorable) than men (57% unfavorable, 38% favorable. Similarly, younger voters viewed the governor more favorably (52% favorable, 44% unfavorable) than those over age 50 (49% unfavorable, 45% favorable.
Although the survey found that 53% of respondents approve of Governor Walz’s overall job performance (compared to 44% who disapproved), most respondents (52%) stated they disapproved of the way he handled the chaos during the George Floyd riots. The documentary film, “The Fall of Minneapolis,” detailed the state’s inability to quell the chaos during this period, highlighting Governor Walz’s role in exacerbating the situation and manipulating public opinion for his benefit.
The poll results coincide with other findings from the same survey, which found that Vice President Kamala Harris is slipping in popularity in this traditionally blue state, now leading former President Donald Trump by just five percentage points. This could mean that Governor Walz is not popular enough to guarantee Minnesota as a safe haven for Vice President Kamala Harris during the November elections.
In 2016, then-presidential candidate Hillary Clinton barely won against Republican nominee Donald Trump in Minnesota, with a mere 1.5 percent difference. In 2020, the margin increased to 7.2 percent, suggesting that Governor Walz’s unpopularity may be contributing to a decrease in overall Democratic support within the state.