Alpha News paid a visit to Blue Earth County, Minn., this week to talk to voters in Mankato, the one-time home of Minnesota governor and vice-presidential candidate Tim Walz, who’s originally from Nebraska. For 10 years, Walz worked as a social studies teacher and football coach at Mankato West High School until he left to make his successful run for Congress. Still, he kept his home in Mankato during his time in D.C.
So, with a hometown connection on the presidential ticket, we wondered what kind of support he’s seeing in the final days of the race. What we found may surprise you.
“We’re both voting for Trump. It’s really the only option,” one couple told Alpha News reporter Liz Collin.
Another said he didn’t vote for Trump last time.
“I didn’t. But I am this time,” he said.
Doug Hitzemann is the treasurer for the Blue Earth County Republicans.
“We’ve had a lot of activity with Trump. It just drives people to come in to get signs, just to talk, communicate and just have a good time talking about it,” Hitzemann said.
Despite being a historically blue county, Blue Earth County Republicans told Alpha News volunteers have handed out more signs this election cycle than ever before. No Republican gubernatorial candidate has won the county since Tim Pawlenty in 2002. It’s been won by every Democratic presidential candidate since 2004, with the exception of Trump in 2016.
“She’s not a strong candidate and I didn’t ever think he was a strong candidate, so I took that that she made a bad choice. Quite frankly, we’d be happy to have him not in the state of Minnesota, but I’d rather have him for two more years now and then someone else later. I don’t think he helped her ticket, let’s put it that way,” Hitzemann said.
Hitzemann told Alpha News he doesn’t believe people fully knew who Walz was before he jumped on the national stage, including some people in Mankato.
“He acts like a conservative while he’s campaigning here and the minute he gets across the river he switches to his true self. I think we knew that from the Mankato area because he’s from here, but I don’t think in the state, I don’t think that got published as much as it is now with the national attention. There’s a whole lot of things that are coming out about him that we never knew,” he said.
“I don’t see any more interest in the Democratic ticket because of him. I don’t believe so,” he added.
We wondered what the folks at the local DFL office would have to say about that. But we’ll keep wondering as our request for an interview was denied. Alpha News also requested a statement via e-mail and did not hear back.
“I don’t think he’s as well-liked here as they like to portray him. My understanding when he showed up at the football game there was quite a few boos in the stand,” Hitzemann said, referring to the game Walz attended a couple of weeks ago. “I don’t think he was as well-respected here as they like to think.”
Some students wore t-shirts to support Trump at the game.
Voters we spoke with this week echoed that they haven’t noticed much support for Walz even though he’s from the area.
“I don’t care for the man really, but that’s who they’ve picked,” another voter said.
“We have to turn this country and this state around. This state is one of the most expensive states to live in tax-wise. We’ve got people leaving the state. That’s not good in the long run,” Hitzemann said.
Voters agreed that high prices and taxes were top of mind.
“Groceries are high. I mean formula is high, milk is high … it’s a big crisis right now, you know,” a 29-year-old father told us.
“Shit’s going downhill. I work hard, 60-hour weeks. I’m a roofer, 45% of my check goes to taxes. I’m Hispanic and they say ‘Oh, we’re here to help the Hispanics,’ but they’re sending money to Ukraine, a war that doesn’t belong to us. I’m a Republican and I believe that God is a Republican, too. It’s different. Times have changed,” another worker on his lunch break told us.
Another voter was asked if Walz’s Mankato connection matters: “Not even a little bit,” he said.
Liz Collin
Liz Collin has been a truth-teller for 20 years as a multi-Emmy-Award-winning reporter and anchor. Liz is a Worthington, Minnesota native who lives in the suburbs with her husband, son and loyal lab.