The message of individual freedom from Democratic vice-presidential nominee for the 2024 election, Gov. Tim Walz, contrasts sharply with his history during the COVID-19 pandemic.
At his campaign launch rally in Philadelphia, where he appeared alongside Democratic presidential candidate and Vice President Kamala Harris, the Minnesota governor criticized the Republican Party harshly.
“Some of us are old enough to recall when the Republicans advocated for freedom,” Walz remarked to the audience. “Now, it seems their idea of freedom is that the government should feel free to intrude into your doctor’s office.”
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US Vice President and 2024 Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris applauds as her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, speaks at Temple University’s Liacouras Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania during the start of their “Battleground State Tour”. (Matthew Hatcher/AFP via Getty Images)
He added, “In Minnesota, there’s a golden rule: mind your own damn business.”
Conservative groups have countered Walz’s self-portrayal by highlighting his responses to issues during the pandemic, including lockdown measures and parental rights.
“Walz should heed his own advice, as during COVID, he not only locked down schools and masked children, but also encouraged neighbors to report each other for taking their kids to playgrounds,” stated Tiffany Justice, co-founder of Moms for Liberty.
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Vice President Kamala Harris interacts with the audience during her campaign rally in Atlanta, Georgia. (Kyle Mazza/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Critics have highlighted Walz’s indoor mask mandate during the pandemic, enacted in 2020 and lifted in 2021.
The Upper Midwest Law Center filed a lawsuit claiming the mandate was unconstitutional, but an appellate court ultimately supported Walz.
In 2020, Walz established a COVID-19 hotline that allowed Minnesota residents to report suspected violations of lockdown orders by their neighbors.
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Minnesota Governor Tim Walz addresses the crowd during the hometown heroes showcase at St. Paul Union Depot in Saint Paul, Minnesota. (Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports)
“From overseeing one of the largest COVID-19 fraud operations in the country to requesting citizens to report one another for breaking lockdown orders, and even returning hospitalized COVID patients back to nursing homes… Tim Walz demonstrated during the pandemic that he lacks the capability to lead in times of crisis,” House Majority Whip Tom Emmer told the New York Post.
Fox News Digital’s Chris Pandolfo, Michael Lee, and Audrey Conklin contributed to this report.
