The wife of Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris’ running mate has set social media ablaze after an unearthed clip of her describing her actions during the 2020 Minneapolis riots went viral. Gwen Walz, Minnesota’s first lady and wife of Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who was picked by Vice President Harris to be her running mate on the 2024 Democratic presidential ticket, made the controversial remarks in a 2020 interview.
Walz’s comments have been met with intense scrutiny, particularly from conservatives who have criticized her husband’s handling of the riots. A pivotal part of Walz’s gubernatorial record was his response to the death of George Floyd in 2020, an event that sparked nationwide protests about race and police brutality. Conservatives have accused Walz of being too lenient with rioters and allowing the destruction of businesses in Minneapolis and St. Paul.
In the unearthed clip, Walz describes her experience during the riots, stating: “Again we had more sleepless nights during the riots. I could smell the burning tires, and that was a very real thing. And I kept the windows open as long as I could because I felt like that was such a touchstone of what was happening.”
Her comments have been met with criticism from conservative commentators, who have labeled them as “bizarre,” “abnormal,” and “profoundly disturbing.” Charlie Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, described the comments as “weird,” while journalist Abigail Shrier called them “profoundly disturbing.” Dustin Grage, the president of a conservative Minnesota-based consulting firm, said the comments were “bizarre,” adding that Walz’s daughter also coordinated with rioters to let them know that the National Guard would not be activated one night.
Gov. Walz was criticized for his handling of the riots, with conservatives accusing him of being too slow to respond and allowing the destruction to continue. As a result of the delayed action, hundreds of businesses across Minneapolis and St. Paul were devastated by the destruction and had to ask their local government for help recovering on top of what they lost during pandemic-related closures.
With Walz now in the national spotlight as Harris’ running mate, his 2020 record is once again under scrutiny. Republican critics are taking aim at how both Walz and Harris handled the 2020 crisis. Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis said, “Minnesota was ground zero for the BLM riots of 2020. Harris egged it on, and Walz sat by and let Minneapolis burn.”
Ohio Sen. JD Vance, the Republican vice presidential candidate and running mate of former President Trump, echoed the sentiment, calling Walz’s addition to the Democratic ticket “an interesting tag team.” He stated, “If we remember the rioting in the summer of 2020, Tim Walz was the guy who let rioters burn down Minneapolis. And then Kamala Harris was the one who bailed the rioters out of jail.”
The controversy surrounding Walz’s comments has brought renewed attention to the handling of the 2020 riots in Minnesota and the broader issue of race and police brutality in the United States. As the 2024 presidential election draws closer, the issue is likely to continue to be a hot topic of debate.
