Tim Walz loses home county to Trump in 2024 election upset

Trump secures 49.6% of the vote in the county, where Walz’s family has been residing for more than two decades

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, the vice-presidential candidate on Kamala Harris’s Democratic ticket, lost his home county of Blue Earth to President-elect Donald Trump in the 2024 election.

Trump secured 49.6% of the vote in the county, which is central to Walz’s political career, narrowly edging out Harris who garnered 48.3%.

Blue Earth County, where Walz built his political foundation, has long been a stronghold for the Democratic Party, making the loss a significant blow to the campaign.

Walz, who rose to prominence representing Minnesota’s 1st Congressional District and later as governor, had campaigned heavily on a platform of moderation, aiming to appeal to both Democrats and moderate Republicans.

However, the county’s shift toward Trump signals a larger trend of political realignment across the nation, especially in rural and working-class areas.

Walz, a former social studies teacher and football coach in Mankato, a city in Blue Earth County, began his political career locally before moving to the governor’s mansion in St. Paul.

His roots in the area made his loss there especially poignant. Despite his personal ties to the county, Walz’s political career has been marked by his attempts to bridge divides between Minnesota’s urban and rural voters.

His 2018 gubernatorial win, where he triumphed over his Republican opponent by double digits, was seen as a testament to his broad appeal.

This election, however, proved challenging for the Democratic Party, which struggled to hold onto key swing areas that have trended more conservative in recent years.

Walz's loss in his home county is symbolic of the wider difficulties facing the Democratic ticket.

It also underscores the shifting political landscape, with traditional blue areas seeing increasing support for Trump and the Republican Party, particularly among working-class voters.

During the campaign, Walz became a vocal critic of Trump’s strategies, particularly his attention-grabbing stops during the campaign.

In one such instance, Walz criticized Trump’s visit to a McDonald's in Pennsylvania, where the former president participated in a photo-op by making fries and interacting with workers.

Walz dismissed the event as an example of Trump’s pandering to blue-collar voters without offering any substantive policy proposals for their benefit.

"You don’t go to a McDonald’s, put on a red tie, and make fries for a photo-op to prove you understand the struggles of working people," Walz remarked in a sharp critique of the former president’s approach to campaign events.

Walz's criticism of Trump was rooted in his belief that Trump’s policies failed to address the core issues facing middle-class Americans.

He argued that Trump’s rhetoric and actions were more about showmanship than meaningful change, which, according to Walz, alienated working-class voters who felt left behind by both parties.

Despite the loss in Blue Earth County and the broader defeat for Harris’s campaign, Walz has continued to voice support for the values of the Democratic Party.

In a statement following Harris’s concession, Walz urged Democrats to keep fighting for the ideals of decency, compassion, and justice. "While the outcome is not what we wanted, I am grateful to the millions of Americans who stood up for our greatest ideals," Walz said, adding that now more than ever, Americans need to continue fighting for the values that define the country.

These events unfold after Trump won a second term as US president, surpassing the 270 electoral votes needed for victory.

His Democratic opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, conceded and pledged to assist with a peaceful transfer of power.

Trump claimed key battleground states, including Michigan, Georgia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.

Walz’s loss in Blue Earth County serves as a reminder of the increasingly polarized nature of US politics and the challenges the Democratic Party faces in securing the support of working-class voters, especially in key battleground areas.