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Gov. Tim Walz launching town hall tour in Republican House districts
Tommy Wiita – March 13, 2025
Gov. Tim Walz is planning stops at House districts around the United States represented by Republicans who have stopped holding town halls due to ongoing backlash to federal cuts by President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk.
Walz announced the tour of red states on Wednesday, with the move a significant indicator that he intends to run for president in 2028, after his time as Kamala Harris’ running mate in 2024.
Walz is planning stops beginning on Friday in Iowa’s 3rd District, which is represented by Rep. Zach Nunn, and will then head to Nebraska’s 2nd District, home to Rep. Don Bacon, according to national media reports. His office also has stops planned in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Ohio as well.
“I’m going to go out there and make sure those folks down in Iowa know that their [Rep. Nunn] doesn’t want to come talk to them but he voted for this stuff,” Walz said during an appearance on MSNBC. “He voted to defund these things, he voted to make it impossible to talk to the VA and cut 70,000 people to care for our veterans. By the way, many of those 70,000 are veterans themselves.”
“So I think again this is us going out and talking to people, making the case that people are absolutely clear that both parties are not the same: one stands with Elon Musk, the billionaires and the dismantling of America as we know it, and one that’s going to be there for their families. And if we’re not out there, Donald Trump, all the podcasts, all the money will fill that void … I hope people show up at that town hall and say, ‘look governor, what are you offering? Are you offering anything better?’ That’s fair. But to turn your back and not do it, it’s dangerous.”
But Walz’s announcement has drawn criticism from Republicans in Minnesota, with state Rep. Zach Duckworth accusing him of abandoning Minnesota at a time it is facing a $6 billion budget deficit by 2029.
“All great selfless leaders leave their job during its most critical moments – like solving a $6 Billion deficit they created,” he said. “Abandoning Minnesota mid session when the real work is about to begin is publicly admitting you’re not needed and have no interest in actually governing.”
Walz aims to fill void after Republican advice on town halls
It’s been reported that Republicans representatives have been advised by NRCC chairperson Rep. Richard Hudson to not hold town halls going forward due to backlash over the Trump administration’s policies.
It follows a series of high-profile confrontations at Republican town halls held across the U.S., which saw representatives assailed by local residents angry by the scale and severity of the cuts and layoffs being imposed by the administration and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Musk.
Walz reacted to the NRCC’s order on Twitter, suggesting that he would host an event in a district a Republican currently holds to gain more support for Democrats.
“That’s a shame. If your Republican representative won’t meet with you because their agenda is so unpopular, maybe a Democrat will,” Walz said. “Hell, maybe I will. If your congressman refuses to meet, I’ll come host an event in their district to help local Democrats beat ‘em.”
Related: Gov. Walz offers to step in and hold town halls if Republicans won’t
Walz later told CNN he had been overwhelmed by the response to that tweet, saying his staff has been sifting through “hundreds of invitations from local party leaders and candidates asking him to come.”
Outside of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who has been holding events in Republican districts for the past several weeks, no other major Democratic leaders have done the same.
Minnesota currently has four congressional districts controlled by Republicans: Rep. Brad Finstad in the 1st Congressional District; Rep. Tom Emmer in the 6th Congressional District; Rep. Michelle Fischbach in the 7th Congressional District; and Rep. Pete Stauber in the 8th Congressional District. It’s unclear if Walz intends to visit any, some or all of these districts during his tour.
The Minnesota governor told CNN he intends to tell voters that it “doesn’t have to be this way,” referencing this week’s move by the administration to slash the U.S. Department of Education in half.
Related: Walz slams Department of Education cuts, says it will undermine schools and children
On Wednesday, Walz called out the Trump administration’s firing of nearly half the Department of Education, saying it will have a “detrimental impact on children.”
“This is undermining our economic wellbeing for the future, it’s undermining our competitive advantage, and it’s undermining the moral authority that every child truly matters. So what Donald Trump continues to do is the idiocy of whatever he thinks at the time is a good talking point,” Walz said during a Democratic Governors call held on Wednesday.
