COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) 鈥� Minnesota Gov. sought to energize activists at a Democratic state convention in South Carolina, as the party's 2024 vice presidential nominee works to keep up the high national profile he gained when Kamala Harris selected him as her running mate.
Walz, a former schoolteacher who went on to serve in Congress and then became his state鈥檚 governor, keynoted the South Carolina gathering in Columbia, traditionally a showcase for national-level Democrats and White House hopefuls. Speaking to convention delegates for more than half an hour, Walz used colorful language and spoke plainly as he lobbed criticism at President Donald Trump and called on his fellow Democrats to have the courage to stand up to the 鈥渂ully鈥� in the White House.
鈥淢aybe it's time for us to be a little meaner,鈥� Walz said, to applause from the crowd. 鈥淲hen it's a bully like Donald Trump, you bully the s鈥�- out of him. ... This is a ... cruel man.鈥�
It was Walz's third set of large-scale remarks in less than 24 hours for Walz, who, along with spoke Friday night at , as well as an after-party fish fry hosted by Rep. Jim Clyburn.
The events offered an opportunity for both Walz and Moore to test out their messages in front of hundreds of Democrats in the state that has long held the first-in-the-South Democratic presidential primary and, last year, led off the party's nominating calendar entirely. State party chair Christale Spain has said that she will renew the argument to keep the state鈥檚 No. 1 position in the next cycle, but national party organizations yet, and party officials in Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada are also vying to go first.
鈥淒onald Trump is the existential threat that we knew was coming,鈥� Walz told the crowd Saturday morning, acknowledging that, for Democrats, 鈥渋t is going to be a challenging few years here.鈥�
As he did on Friday night, Walz praised his fellow Democrats for having the 鈥渃ourage鈥� to keep fighting in a largely Republican state, where Democrats haven't won a statewide election in about two decades and only hold one congressional seat 鈥� Clyburn's.
鈥淒amnit, we should be able to have some fun and be joyful,鈥� Walz said. 鈥淲e've got the guts and we need to have it to push back on the bullies and the greed.鈥�
Walz, on a who have been traveling to early-voting states, was expected to sound similar themes as a featured speaker as California Democrats gather in Anaheim on Saturday.
鈥淲e鈥檙e fired up to welcome Minnesota Governor Tim Walz to the Convention stage in Anaheim,鈥� state chair Rusty Hicks said in a statement. 鈥淗e鈥檚 a former teacher, a veteran, and a trailblazer who鈥檚 spent his career fighting for working families and standing up for the values we all share 鈥� fairness, dignity, and opportunity for all.鈥�
Democrats have been debating since Harris lost to Trump in November over which direction the party should take. That self-examination reflects that their leaders are failing to put up enough resistance against Trump, who has taken a much more aggressive approach to his second term in the White House.
Walz hasn't officially said if he'll seek a third term in 2026, but acknowledges he's thinking about it. He said in a that he would probably wait to decide until July, of the closely divided Minnesota Legislature to finish work on the state's next budget. Those negotiations have gone slowly despite his frequent meetings with legislative leaders.
He's given mixed signals on a 2028 presidential run while on Trump. He told for an interview that aired in March that he would 鈥渃ertainly consider that鈥� if circumstances were right. He told last month that he was 鈥渘ot thinking about running in 2028.鈥�
But he hasn't ruled it out, either, and has signaled possible interest in other ways.
Following the Democratic ticket's defeat in November, Walz returned to the road in March when he a series of town halls in competitive congressional districts represented by Republicans, after House Speaker Mike Johnson advised GOP representatives to because of protests at them.
Walz's gubernatorial campaign organization, which has been actively raising money, has used his travels in 鈥淪upport Tim on the Road鈥� fundraising pitches.
鈥淔or the past few weeks, I鈥檝e been showing up where Republicans won鈥檛,鈥� he wrote in one recent message, a theme he echoed on Saturday in South Carolina. 鈥淚鈥檝e hosted town halls in Iowa, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Texas to hear from people the GOP is neglecting.鈥�
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Karnowski reported from Minneapolis. Kinnard can be reached at
Meg Kinnard And Steve Karnowski, The Associated Press
