Democrats hope Tim Walz will provide a boost in crucial congressional elections

Nine days until Kamala Harris’ vice presidency chose it to be his running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz received a text message from another Minnesota Democrat.

“I never lost with you leading the poll,” Rep. Angie Craig wrote. Describing the text to CBS News, she added “LOL,” saying she had teased him at the time about his status as main contender for work.

Craig, who represents the south suburbs of Minneapolis in one of the most competitive and moderate districts in the U.S. House of Representatives, took an early stand against her own party leader. Shortly after President Biden’s disappointing debate performance, she asked him to give up of the race.

After his departure, Craig endorsed Walz for vice president.

“He can talk to anyone, anywhere, about anything,” she told CBS News. Craig said Walz is a political force in “a lot of key states and key districts.”

The governor’s first month as his party’s vice presidential candidate has Democrats optimistic about their prospects in the two House races where Walz has roots. In Minnesota’s 2nd District, Craig faces a tough challenge as she seeks her fourth term.

And in Walz’s native Nebraska, where he campaigned in mid-August, Democrats are hoping his connections will help them oust the veteran Republican incumbent. Don BaconBoth races are costly, close and could have a dramatic impact on the balance of power in the House, where Republicans are clinging to a razor-thin majority heading into the November election.

Republicans seeking to win those seats have aggressively criticized Walz, questioning his record as governor and doing their best to tie Democratic House candidates to the GOP’s anti-Walz messaging.

Craig says Walz easily won his swing district when he was on the ballot for governor.

“He campaigns aggressively. He’s everywhere,” she said. “I went turkey hunting with him once early in the season, and then we were at a gay rights gala that same weekend. His range of talents is truly extraordinary.”

Craig’s opponent, Republican Joe Teirab, is trying to appeal to the 2nd District’s large number of voters who tend to split their ticket.

A former federal prosecutor, Teirab is pursuing Waltz on his response to the 2020 unrest in Minneapolis following the killing of George Floyd.

“Tim Walz has a negative record,” Teirab told CBS News. “And I think people are going to vote based on that.” He argues that Walz has not adequately supported law enforcement, and he believes policing and public safety will be key issues in presidential elections, including in Minnesota.

“People here know that we need to support law enforcement to maintain public safety,” Teirab said, adding that “after the riots of 2020, it was much more difficult for law enforcement agencies to recruit and retain talent.”

Teirab discusses his own journey as a prosecutor during his campaign.

“I’ve had to put a lot of drug dealers behind bars,” he told CBS News. “I’d like to be part of the effort to stem this tide of drug trafficking in Congress.”

Craig, however, has the support of some members of law enforcement and has announced a series of endorsements from groups such as the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association.

In Omaha, Nebraska, and in his own 2nd Congressional District, another race for office was the subject of discussion around a visit by Walz. The vice presidential candidate, who grew up in a small town in Nebraska, campaigned in the 2nd District on August 17, emphasizing the importance of Nebraska’s unique system of awarding presidential electors by congressional district.

Don Bacon, the longtime Republican incumbent who has a history of defeating both conservative opponents in Republican primaries and Democratic challengers in general elections, accused Walz of moving to the political left in the years since his victory as governor of Minnesota.

“I think his support in this district is going to fade,” Bacon told CBS News. “But we have to be good at making that known.”

Bacon said he would have been more concerned about his electoral prospects if Harris had instead chosen Gov. Josh Shapiro, a first-term Pennsylvania Democrat, as her running mate.

“I think Shapiro was a much more threatening vice president than Walz,” Bacon said. “Ultimately, Walz’s roots or connections here may not be relevant enough. I think he was helpful in the beginning, but I don’t think he’s going to be helpful in the long run.”

Democratic presidential candidate Tony Vargas, who is in Congress, hopes Walz can boost Democrats’ appeal to working-class voters in Nebraska. Vargas, like Walz, is a former schoolteacher. He told CBS News, “Having Governor Walz on the ticket is something we’ve talked about at my events. We need working-class people in Congress. Governor Walz is a huge supporter of unions.”

“We need examples of what working-class individuals look like in Congress and in the highest offices of the presidency in the executive branch,” Vargas said.

At Walz’s campaign stop in Nebraska last month, Vargas said he discussed with him the chances of flipping the House of Representatives from Republican to Democratic control.

Both parties say they are riding high in the race for House seats in Minnesota and Nebraska. The race for those two seats has attracted millions of dollars in campaign spending.

Craig said the change in the top ticket has given Democratic candidates a boost in several key states, but she still says her race will be a “tough fight” and a “strong push.”

In several key districts, including Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee touted the fundraising success of challengers seeking to defeat incumbents.

Walz’s arrival on the presidential ticket underscores the impact of President Biden’s historic withdrawal from the presidential race. The reconfiguration of the ticket has given Democrats a boost in enthusiasm, better poll numbers, volunteers and donations.

Craig and Vargas told CBS News they’ve noticed a significant increase in enthusiasm among potential voters during door-knocking and campaign events.

Republicans expect Democrats’ initial enthusiasm to wane.

“President Trump and J.D. Vance need to focus on the economy, the border, crime, and they need to be pretty clear about what Harris and Walz have stood for in the past,” Bacon said. “And if they do that, I think we’ll be fine.”

Hunter Woodall

contributed to this report.