Minnesota Democrats, including Governor Walz, launch Harris for President campaign in St. Paul

ST. PAUL — As former President Donald Trump prepared to speak in St. Cloud on Saturday night, Minnesota Democratic leaders earlier in the morning launched the state’s campaign in support of their presumptive presidential nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris.

“We (Harris) ran against each other for president, (but) we actually became closer friends,” U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., told the crowd of about 300. “We spent the night before Thanksgiving together with our families in Iowa, and I know her as a person of integrity and a person of joy.”

Klobuchar, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, D-FL, St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, Rep. Betty McCollum, D-Minn., and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison jointly endorsed the Harris ticket. They say bringing together area leaders from all levels of government — local, state and federal — proves that the Harris ticket can make a difference at the local level.

Carter, who has been mayor of St. Paul since 2018, told the St. Cloud Times that he has seen a dramatic change in communications and policy from President Joe Biden’s White House compared to Trump’s. He said the Biden administration has taken the initiative to control big cities during difficult times, such as uncertain weather, and has implemented policies that give municipalities more control than state officials.

“We really valued the partnership, and that’s what makes it different than Trump,” Carter said. “It’s a partnership where you can see programs and resources coming from the Biden administration. They’re checking in to ask us. They’re checking in if there’s a snowstorm or something happens, and we hear from the White House; they’re checking in and saying, ‘Hey, mayor, what do you need? How can we be supportive?’”

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The mayor also compared the two candidates’ community programs: Trump’s Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act and Biden’s American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. He said Trump’s CARES Act gave money to states to delegate to municipalities, while Biden’s gave direct aid to local governments.

“Trump gave money to states. We … have a great state government that shared those resources with us so that we had resources to work with during the pandemic,” Carter said. “The Biden administration sent dollars directly to cities so that we could take care of our community members directly.”

Minnesota Democrats also want to take a local approach to their campaign efforts, with door-to-door at the forefront. The roughly 300 attendees at the kickoff were given training in door-to-door skills after the leaders spoke.

“It’s time to go, (and) we know how to organize,” Flanagan said. “On a really hot summer day, you’re in (this) room getting ready because you’re going to be collecting peat to knock on doors.”

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz talks about being on Harris’ VP list

Walz’s appearance on the Harris campaign trail would not come without murmurs that the governor would run as Harris’ running mate. He said the decision ultimately comes down to the vice president, and he approves of throwing all candidates into the mix. In addition to Walz, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whimer, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore are among those gaining traction.

“I love them all … but this is the vice president’s choice,” Walz told the crowd. “I trust her judgment. I trust how she chooses, so it’s an exciting time for the country because we see the possibilities.”

The event took place at 11 a.m. Saturday at the St. Paul Regional Labor Federation building.

Corey Schmidt covers local government for the St. Cloud Times. He can be reached at [email protected].

This article originally appeared in St. Cloud Times: Harris ticket launches campaign in Minnesota, focuses on local impact