>> CATHY: GOVERNOR WALZ HIT THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL SOLO THIS WEEK AS VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS’S RUNNING MATE.
AS THE VICE PRESIDENT COULD MAKE HISTORY AS THE FIRST MONEY MALE PRESIDENT, REPORTER MARY LAHAMMER GIVES US CONTEXT ON THE GOVERNOR'S RECORD WORKING WITH WOMEN AT THE STATE CAPITOL AND BEYOND.
[ Cheers and applause ] >> Mary: AS VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE TIM WALZ STANDS SIDE BY SIDE, BUT IN SUPPORT, OF WHAT COULD BE THE FIRST FEMALE PRESIDENT, WE WANTED TO EXPLORE HIS HISTORY WORKING ITH WOMEN.
[ Cheers and applause ] HE WAS SURROUNDED BY WOMEN, THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, FIRST LADY, HOUSE SPEAKER, SENATE MAJORITY LEADER.
ALL WOMEN HO SHARED THE SPOTLIGHT WHEN THE GOVERNOR SIGNED HISTORIC LEGISLATION.
>> A BUNCH OF HIS COMMISSIONERS ARE WOMEN.
A BUNCH OF THE JUDGES HE APPOINTED ARE WOMEN.
SO THIS GUY IS A GOOD PARTNER TO WOMEN.
>> Mary: FOR YEARS, IT WAS MEN WHO ADE NEWS LEADING AT THE CAPITOL, BUT THINGS HAVE CHANGED.
NOW THAT THERE IS A WOMAN OF COLOR LEADING A PRESIDENTIAL TICKET, IS THERE ANY PART OF YOU THAT SAYS, OKAY, YEAH, I'M A REPUBLICAN, BUT PART OF ME, THAT'S KIND OF COOL.
>> WHEN WE AS WOMEN HAVE A CHANCE TO BE THE FIRST, WE NEED TO FIRST COME EQUIPPED AND DO THE WORK.
SO THAT WE DON'T HURT IT OR PEOPLE DOWN THE LINE THAT ARE GOING TO FOLLOW IN OUR FOOT STEPS.
I AM BI-RACIAL SO I FULLY UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS VERY DIFFICULT.
WHEN I'M WATCHING THIS FROM A DISTANCE, PUTTING THE POLICY AND HE PARTISAN PIECES ASIDE, I THINK IT'S REALLY FRUSTRATING THAT THAT IS A FOCUS THAT AMERICANS ARE MAKING.
>> IT'S BEEN A GREAT SIX YEARS.
I THINK THE FIRST INTERVIEW I HAD AFTER BEING NAMED SPEAKER, SOMEBODY SAID WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE, YOU KNOW, THE THIRD WOMAN SPEAKER OR A WOMAN SPEAKER, AND I SAID, JUST LIKE BEING A SPEAKER, BUT I'M A WOMAN.
AND SO I THINK FOR HIM, IT DOESN'T PHASE HIM, YOU KNOW?
IT'S -- WE'RE FULL PARTNERS.
I DIDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT ANY OF THAT BRO ENERGY.
>> WHAT YOU'LL HEAR IS GREAT SOUND BYTES.
I HAVE HAD A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES ON A NATIONAL LEVEL.
GOVERNOR WALZ IS BEING PORTRAPORTRAYED OF THAT PERSON T KIND OF REPRESENTS RURAL MINNESOTA.
I LIVE IN GREATER MINNESOTA.
I AM LITERALLY IN GREATER MINNESOTA AND ANYONE THAT I TALK TO, AND THIS IS ACROSS THE STATE, NOT JUST MY DISTRICT, BUT THEY ALWAYS POINT BACK TO, 2018, GOVERNOR WALZ SAID DON'T WORRY ABOUT THE MAPS.
DON'T WORRY ABOUT THE REST OF MINNESOTA.
IT'S JUST ROCKS AND COWS OUT THERE.
THAT DOES NOT SIT WELL WITH ANYONE FROM GREATER MINNESOTA.
>> GOVERNMENT THAT LOOKS MORE ANDMORE LIKE THE PEOPLE OF MINNESOTA WITH EACH PASSING ELECTION.
[ Applause ] >> Mary: LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR FLANAGAN HAS BEEN A GOVERNING PARTNER WITH WALZ, GROWING THE ROLE, AND MAKING HISTORY WITH PERHAPS MORE AHEAD.
>> DO I STILL GO, LIKE, WHAT?
IS THIS REALLY HAPPENING?
OH, YEAH.
IT IS VERY INTENTIONAL, BECAUSE THAT'S HOW WE RAN.
WE RAN TOGETHER FOR OVER A YEAR.
WE TALKED ABOUT BEING PARTNERS.
WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE STATE OF MINNESOTA KNEW WHAT THEY WERE GETTING WITH THE TWO OF US.
>> PEGGY, YOU KNOW, LIKE TIM IS HOUSE TRAINED.
WHERE ALL GREAT LEADERS START, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, WHETHER IT'S FEDERAL OR STATE.
>> Mary: HERE AT THE STATE CAPITOL, GOVERNOR WALZ HAS ALSO HAD TO WORK WITH THE FIRST WOMAN AND PERSON OF COLOR TO LEAD THE HOUSE REPUBLICAN CAUCUS AND THAT RELATIONSHIP HASN'T ALWAYS BEEN SMOOTH SAILING.
>> GOVERNOR WALZ IS THE ONLY GOVERNOR THAT I'VE SERVED WITH.
AND THEN NOW THE LAST TWO YEARS, AS LEADER OF MY CAUCUS.
AND SO I'VE HAD KIND OF AN EXTERNAL LOOK, AND A LITTLE BIT FURTHER INTERNAL LOOK AS FAR AS OW IT HAS BEEN TO WORK WITH HIM.
OVER THE LAST TWO EARS, FULL DEMOCRAT TRIFECTA IN THE STATE, WE KNOW THAT WE CAME IN WITH AN $18 BILLION SURPLUS, AND THAT WAS SPENT.
WE HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THE LOOMING DEFICIT.
I THOUGHT WE WOULD HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THE PROCESS JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN WE WERE.
>> IT'S GOING TO BE A SLUG FEST.
I THINK THAT PEOPLE WHO LIKE DONALD TRUMP ARE MOTIVATED TO SHOW UP AND VOTE.
I THINK THAT IT'S A HIGH INTEREST ELECTION.
IT'S A PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.
WE ALWAYS HAVE MORE TURNOUT IN THOSE YEARS.
I THINK THE LAST PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION WE HAD IN 2020, E HAD TURN OUT OF, LIKE, 78.8%.
MINNESOTANS LIKE TO VOTE.
THEY'LL BE THERE.
AND I THINK E'LL HAVE A LOT OF REALLY CLOSE RACES IN THE HOUSE.
BUT I THINK WALZ BEING ON THE BALLOT PROBABLY HELPS US A LITTLE BIT MORE.
>> Mary: THREE OUT OF THE FOUR LEGISLATIVE LEADERS HE WORKED WITH RE WOMEN.
HOW WOULD YOU SAY HE WORKS WITH WOMEN.
>> I DON'T FEEL LIKE I COULD NOTICE A DIFFERENT.
AS WE GET NTO THESE ROLES AND WE HAVE BEEN CHOSEN FOR THESE ROLES BECAUSE WE ACTUALLY HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO FULFILL THE JOB AHEAD OF US.
>> Mary: HOW ABOUT ENTHUSIASM.
WE TALK ABOUT THOSE CROWDS.
WHAT DO YOU THINK IT MEANS DOWN BALLOT FOR YOU IN THE BIGGEST RACE FOR MINNESOTA IS THE HOUSE RACE.
>> REALLY NIGHT AND DAY AT THE DOORS.
TIM WALZ JUST MAGNIFIES THAT BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE SAME KIND OF ENERGY.
THEY ARE BOTH PEOPLE ITH PHENOMENAL SMILES.
>> Mary: WHAT DOES MAYBE A REENERGIZED DEMOCRATIC BASE DO TO AFFECT WHAT YOU EXPECTED TO BE A VERY CLOSE RACE FOR HOUSE CONTROL.
>> OUR PLAN INITIALLY, HIGH LEVEL, FIND GREAT CANDIDATES THAT ARE WELL KNOWN IN THEIR DISTRICTS THAT, WILL WORK HARD AND BECOME EVEN BETTER LEGISLATORS.
EVEN WITH THE FOCUS ON A NATIONAL LEVEL, THAT PLAN AS NOT CHANGED.
>> THE TIM WALZ ENERGY IS JUST CLASSIC TIM WALZ, RIGHT?
LIKE, HE'S INTO THAT.
HE'S A FORMER TEACHER, FORMER COACH, AND SO HE'S GOT THAT EXPERIENCE.
HE'S HAD TO BE ENTERTAINING TO TEENAGERS.
AND HE'S EVIDENTLY PICKED UP HOW TO DO THAT.
>> Mary: THE FIRST LADY HAS ALSO PLAYED A PROMINENT ROLE IN THE WALZ ADMINISTRATION, GIVING SPEECHES AND ATTENDING BILL SIGNINGS.
>> OH, HI.
ADOPTGOOD TO SEE YOU.
THIS IS EXCITING.
YOU DID MAKE IT.
>> I COULD TELL WHEN HE LEFT IN THE MORNING THAT HE WAS REALLY HOPEFUL THAT I WOULD GET THERE.
>> Mary: NOW GWEN IS BY HER HUSBAND'S SIDE.
>> TIM IS GOING TO MAKE THE DECISIONS.