Minnesota progressives go to bat for Gov. Tim Walz for VP

Two dozen labor unions and two powerhouse progressive advocacy groups are among the voices in Minnesota lauding Gov. Tim Walz as a potential vice presidential running mate for Kamala Harris.

Why it matters: The support illustrates why Walz has surged in the veepstakes : many Minnesota progressives view him as the VP choice least likely to divide Democrats — and most likely to excite a wider range of voters.

What they're saying: "He's not just a 'safe' pick, but a positive pick," longtime DFL operative Jeff Blodgett told Axios. "There's a lot of upside and doesn't seem to be very much downside."

Driving the news: On Monday, 25 Minnesota unions and labor groups published a reference letter urging Harris to pick Walz, saying he'd be an "effective spokesperson for working people."

The intrigue: Walz hasn't always had a cozy relationship with his party's left flank, given some prior stances he's taken on gun policy, refugee resettlement , and even rideshare legislation .

• But despite past "deep disagreements," TakeAction Minnesota's Elianne Farhat told Axios that Walz "leans into disagreements and actually negotiates … He changes his mind, and he moves."

The other side: While Walz has been an effective messenger — first as an advocate for DFL policies and now as a Harris surrogate — political commentator Blois Olson argues Democrats should consider how Walz will handle critiques of his governorship.

• Walz has faced scrutiny over a pandemic aid fraud scandal and his public records transparency , and "when Walz is defensive, is when his political skills falter," Olson wrote .

What we're watching: Some argue that, unlike other VP contenders, a Walz choice does not aggravate any existing intraparty divisions.

• Where Walz has mostly stayed out of the fray on the Israel-Hamas war, for example, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro's pro-Israel stances have alarmed some "uncommitted" Democratic voters .
• Labor unions have also chafed at Shapiro's embrace of private school vouchers and Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly's past coolness to labor-backed legislation .

Catch up quick: While Walz was first elected in 2018, it was after Democrats took control of the state Legislature in 2023 that he was able to help enact sweeping DFL priorities.

• Those included paid family and medical leave , universal free school lunches , an expansion of the child tax credit , and the creation of a prescription drug affordability board .

Zoom in: While legislative leaders did a lot of the heavy lifting, Walz's budget proposal to spend much of a $17.5 billion surplus — and to raise certain taxes , outraging some Republicans — set the tone.

• "[Walz] was saying he was ready to go big," Trevor Cochlin, a spokesperson for the liberal advocacy group Faith in Minnesota, told Axios. (He also supports Walz as a VP pick.)

Parting shot: To Farhat, Walz is "serious about governing … That's the type of person, as an organizer, I want to be electing."