From the Window to the Walz

The 2024 election has surely heated up and was on fire this week. With Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris’ announcement picking Tim Walz as her vice presidential running mate, he’s emerged as a beacon of progressive change, ready to challenge the status quo. But how does Walz stack up against the current MAGA firebrand, JD Vance? Let’s dive into the expansive contrasts between these two candidates and what their selections mean for the future of American domestic politics.

He’s a Teacher, a Football Coach, a Veteran: Walz is the Guy You Know

Minnesota Governor and VP candidate Tim Walz has been referenced as the exciting solution progressives need for a win in November. Walz graduated with a teaching degree in 1989 from Chadron State College. Then for nearly a decade, he taught at Mankato West High School while winning a state championship as the football coach. In 2006, after serving in the Army National Guard for nearly a quarter century, he was motivated to run for public office; he won a congressional seat in a Republican-leaning district. After marrying his wife, they struggled with fertility and had their daughter using IVF, cementing his support for all Americans to have the same access to this care. His background as a teacher, championship-winning coach, and veteran helped Walz to stand up against conservative-constructed culture wars against LGBTQ+ and reproductive rights. He’s proved that most Americans support compassion above authoritarian attacks on our neighbors.

Tim Walz, Facebook

A Resilient Governor

Walz won the governorship in 2018 with a unifying "One Minnesota" message that resonated with Rust Belt voters by championing union rights and a $15 minimum wage, which he delivered by signing the Local Jobs and Projects Plan. This funded roughly $1.9 billion in support of infrastructure projects, including affordable housing. 

Notably, Walz has taken a strong stance to protect access to abortion, fight poverty by providing free meals for all public education students, set clean energy benchmarks, and support ‘red flag’ laws that give state courts the power to legally confiscate guns from residents who pose a risk to themselves or others. 

In his first term as governor, Walz navigated a split legislature, initiating compromises to fund public schools, universal health care for low-income residents, and major infrastructure improvements. After the legislature went to Democratic hands, Walz and lawmakers swiftly eliminated state abortion restrictions. He said at the bill signing, "Your access to reproductive health and your right to make your own health care decisions are preserved and protected… and because of this law, that won't change with the political winds or makeup of the Supreme Court." Walz also protected gender-affirming care and legalized recreational marijuana, leveraging a massive budget surplus to drive Minnesota forward. Walz’s impact on the 2024 election could be a game-changer for progressives as well as our body autonomy and freedoms.

Everything You Need to Know About JD Vance

In very stark contrast, James Donald Bowman, or JD Vance, is a red-blooded Trumpian through and through. The current junior senator from Ohio is the author of a memoir that many see as a misrepresentation of rural Appalachians as lazy. Column after column has marked the book as demeaning to marginalized populations in his home state. JD Vance's ever-changing name, appearance, and most importantly changes in political stances paint a portrait of a man willing to transform himself for power — from referring to MAGA candidate Trump as “America’s Hitler” just several years ago to running alongside him this year. It’s clear JD and Donald will do whatever is necessary to exert oppression on the American people. 

Tom Williams, CQ-Roll Call, Inc/Getty Images

Vance Believes in Forced Pregnancies, a Danger to Women and the LGBTQ+ Community

Not only does JD Vance support forced births and a national abortion ban without exceptions for rape or incest, he genuinely believes that child-free Americans are “more sociopathic,” make the country “less mentally stable,” and that the “most deranged” and “most psychotic commentators on X – formerly known as Twitter - are typically childless.”

Additionally, Vance introduced a bill that would restrict gender-affirming care for minors. He’s proudly noted that he would slash sexual orientation and gender identity protections. Similar to Trump, Vance is closely linked to the founder of the Heritage Foundation, the notorious conservative think tank most recently under fire for platforming Project 2025. He supports turning the Heritage Foundation “into the de-facto institutional home of Trumpism.” It was also reported that Vance is an advocate for the proposal that the next GOP president should overhaul the federal workforce to replace career civil servants with political appointees, positioning to fill federal agencies with MAGA supporters.

Vance’s Further Far-Right and Outrageous Platform

JD Vance was also quoted suggesting that women should stay in abusive relationships. 

He said, “This is one of the great tricks that I think the sexual revolution pulled on the American populace, which is the idea that like, well, OK, these marriages were fundamentally, you know, they were maybe even violent, but certainly they were unhappy. And so getting rid of them and making it easier for people to shift spouses like they change their underwear, that’s going to make people happier in the long term.”

Vance’s selection as Trump’s running mate stamps two extremists on our ballots, adding a sidekick who is ready and willing to push an extreme, un-American agenda. This pick highlights Trump’s confidence and willingness to double down on authoritarian stances, setting the stage for a fiercely polarizing campaign.

Ben Hickey, Financial Times

The Ultimate Showdown: Project 2025 vs. Progress 2025

As the 2024 election approaches, the stakes couldn't be higher. With Tim Walz and JD Vance embodying two vastly different visions for America's future, the ultimate showdown between Project 2025 and Progress 2025 is set to captivate the nation. Will America embrace the unifying, progressive vision of Harris-Walz, or will it barrel down the extreme, authoritarian path of Trump-Vance? The battle lines are drawn, and the future of the nation hangs in the balance.

Next Steps:

Republicans are scrubbing voter files. Make sure you're not on the suspended voter list, and instead, registered to vote!

Want to get more involved for the November 5 general election? Here’s a guide on where you’re needed!