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Tim Walz
Democratic · Governor, Minnesota · Incumbent since 2019
2026 General Election
Tim Walz has served as Governor of Minnesota since 2019 and was Kamala Harris's vice presidential running mate in 2024. He is a former high school teacher, football coach, and 12-year congressman from southern Minnesota. Under his tenure Minnesota enacted significant progressive legislation including free school meals, paid family leave, and expanded abortion protections. He has not confirmed his 2026 intentions, but remains the most prominent figure in Minnesota Democratic politics.
Official website →Views on the Issues
Gov. Walz’s stated positions alongside Democratic and Republican party platforms. Sources cited below each position. Polis does not editorialize.
Democratic Platform
Tim Walz
Republican Platform
Economy & Taxes
Democratic Platform
Democrats support progressive taxation, with higher rates on top earners and corporations to fund public investment. The party favors raising the minimum wage, strengthening unions, and expanding worker protections. Democrats generally support government investment in infrastructure, education, and social programs as drivers of broad economic growth.Tim Walz
Governor Walz signed a package of progressive economic legislation including paid family and medical leave, a child tax credit, and investments in infrastructure and clean energy. He supports raising wages for workers and has backed federal and state investment in Minnesota's manufacturing and clean energy sectors.Source →Republican Platform
Republicans favor lower taxes across income levels, with particular emphasis on cutting corporate and capital gains taxes to stimulate investment and job creation. The party supports deregulation, reduced government spending, and free market solutions over federal programs as the primary engine of prosperity.Healthcare
Democratic Platform
Democrats support expanding access to affordable healthcare, including protecting the Affordable Care Act and moving toward a public option or expanded Medicare coverage. The party broadly favors government negotiation of prescription drug prices and opposes removing protections for pre-existing conditions.Tim Walz
Governor Walz signed legislation making Minnesota a "refuge state" for abortion access and protecting providers and patients from out-of-state legal action. He supports expanding Medicaid access, has backed legislation to lower prescription drug costs for Minnesotans, and has invested in mental health services.Source →Republican Platform
Republicans have generally sought to repeal or significantly reform the Affordable Care Act, favoring market-based solutions. The party supports expanding health savings accounts, increasing competition among insurers across state lines, and reducing federal mandates on coverage requirements.Immigration
Democratic Platform
Democrats generally support pathways to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, including DACA recipients, and favor comprehensive immigration reform. The party supports increased resources for legal immigration processing and a humanitarian approach to asylum seekers at the border.Tim Walz
Governor Walz has signed legislation extending driver's licenses to undocumented Minnesotans and has taken steps to protect immigrant communities from state-level enforcement cooperation. He has highlighted the essential role of immigrant workers in Minnesota's agriculture and food processing industries.Source →Republican Platform
Republicans prioritize border security and strict enforcement of existing immigration law. The party broadly supports completing physical border barriers, ending policies they view as incentivizing illegal entry, and reforming legal immigration to favor applicants with marketable skills.Education
Democratic Platform
Democrats favor robust federal investment in public K-12 education and higher education, along with policies to reduce or eliminate student loan debt. The party generally opposes using public funds for private school vouchers and supports universal pre-K and affordable childcare.Tim Walz
Governor Walz signed legislation providing free school meals to all Minnesota students, one of the first states to do so universally. He has substantially increased per-pupil education funding and backed universal pre-K expansion. Education investment and teacher support have been central to his tenure.Source →Republican Platform
Republicans support school choice, including voucher programs for private and religious schools, and local control over curriculum decisions. The party generally opposes federal education mandates and broadly supports parental rights in schooling. Many Republicans oppose student loan forgiveness as unfair to borrowers who repaid their loans.Gun Policy
Democratic Platform
Democrats broadly support stricter gun safety measures, including universal background checks, red flag laws, and restrictions on assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazines. The party frames these regulations as consistent with the Second Amendment and necessary to reduce mass shootings.Tim Walz
Governor Walz signed legislation requiring universal background checks and red flag laws in Minnesota, major gun safety advances for the state. He has called these measures consistent with Minnesota's strong hunting traditions and the responsible gun ownership he practiced as a former high school rifle team coach.Source →Republican Platform
Republicans strongly defend Second Amendment rights and generally oppose new gun control legislation, arguing that existing laws should be enforced more effectively. The party emphasizes mental health intervention, the right to self-defense, and opposes what they view as infringement on law-abiding gun owners.Climate & Energy
Democratic Platform
Democrats view climate change as an urgent crisis requiring immediate government action. The party supports transitioning to clean energy through federal investment and regulation, reducing carbon emissions across the economy, and meeting international climate commitments. Democrats generally oppose expanding fossil fuel development on public lands.Tim Walz
Governor Walz signed legislation requiring Minnesota to reach 100 percent clean energy by 2040, one of the most ambitious clean energy standards in the Midwest. He has backed clean energy investment and has framed the energy transition as an economic opportunity for Minnesota's manufacturing and agricultural sectors.Source →Republican Platform
Republicans emphasize American energy independence through domestic production of oil, gas, and coal alongside renewable development. Many in the party are skeptical of aggressive climate regulations they argue harm economic growth and jobs. Republicans generally prefer market-based energy solutions over government mandates and oppose restrictions that raise energy costs for families.Foreign Policy
Democratic Platform
Democrats generally support a multilateral approach to foreign policy, emphasizing alliances, international institutions, and diplomacy as the first line of engagement. The party broadly supports maintaining NATO commitments, providing aid to democratic allies, and engaging international bodies to address shared challenges.Tim Walz
Governor Walz, who served six terms in Congress on the House Armed Services Committee, supports strong U.S. alliances, continued backing for Ukraine, and robust NATO commitments. His 2024 vice presidential campaign brought national attention to his foreign policy views, including his support for democratic allies facing authoritarian pressure.Source →Republican Platform
Republicans emphasize American sovereignty, a strong military as a deterrent, and bilateral relationships over multilateral institutions. The party broadly supports robust defense spending and is skeptical of international agreements they view as constraining American action or requiring open-ended foreign commitments.Social Security
Democratic Platform
Democrats oppose cuts to Social Security or Medicare benefits and support expanding both programs. The party generally favors raising the Social Security payroll tax cap on high earners to ensure long-term solvency and opposes any form of privatization.Tim Walz
Governor Walz opposes cuts to Social Security and Medicare and has backed federal legislation to protect both programs. He has supported state property tax relief for Minnesota seniors and signed legislation repealing Minnesota's income tax on Social Security benefits for many retirees.Source →Republican Platform
Republicans support reforming Social Security and Medicare to ensure long-term fiscal solvency, which some in the party argue requires adjusting benefits or eligibility ages. The party opposes tax increases to fund the programs and some members have supported personal investment account options.Criminal Justice
Democratic Platform
Democrats broadly support criminal justice reform, including reducing mandatory minimum sentences, addressing racial disparities in policing and incarceration, and investing in community-based alternatives. The party generally supports police accountability measures and evidence-based approaches to reducing recidivism.Tim Walz
Governor Walz signed legislation restoring voting rights to Minnesotans on probation and parole and has supported criminal justice reforms that reduce racial disparities and barriers to reentry. He has also focused on combating drug trafficking and violent crime as public safety priorities.Source →Republican Platform
Republicans emphasize law and order, strong support for law enforcement, and tough penalties for crime. The party generally opposes reducing mandatory minimum sentences for violent offenses and supports prosecutors pursuing strong sentences. Republicans broadly oppose policies they view as undermining police authority or creating leniency for criminals.About these profiles. Party platform positions are drawn from the 2024 Democratic and Republican national platforms. Candidate positions are sourced from official statements, voting records, and campaign websites. Polis does not editorialize or endorse any candidate.