Minnesota Governor Tim Walz appeared to reaffirm his support for abolishing the Electoral College on Thursday, despite the Harris campaign distancing itself from his earlier remarks on the subject.
“Well, it’s not the campaign’s position, and the point that I’m trying to make is that there are folks who feel like every vote must count in every state,” Walz said during an interview with Michael Strahan on ABC’s “Good Morning America.” He added, “And I think some people feel that’s not currently the case.”
Walz had sparked controversy earlier in the week during a campaign fundraiser when he said, “I think all of us know that the Electoral College needs to go,” suggesting a shift towards electing the president by the national popular vote. In response, the Harris-Walz campaign quickly issued a statement clarifying that Walz’s remarks did not reflect the official position of the campaign.
Clarifying further on “Good Morning America,” Walz said, “The campaign’s position is clear — that’s not their stance. Their position, and my position, is that every voter, regardless of where they live, should know their vote counts.” He also emphasized his alignment with the campaign’s official stance: “I have spoken about it in the past, but she’s been very clear on this. My position is the campaign’s position.”
Historically, no Republican has won the national popular vote since George W. Bush in 2004, while Democrats Al Gore and Hillary Clinton won the popular vote in 2000 and 2016 but lost in the Electoral College.
A spokesperson for Walz further explained, “Governor Walz believes that every vote matters in the Electoral College, and he is proud to be traveling across battleground states to earn support for the Harris-Walz ticket. His comments were made in front of strong supporters, thanking them for their efforts to help the campaign secure the 270 electoral votes needed to win.”
