"Abortion? Climate Change?" US Democratic Vice Presidential Candidate Walz's Stance on Election Issues Revealed

"Older white men need to learn how to talk about abortion rights."

Tim Walz, confirmed on the 6th (local time) as the Democratic Party's vice presidential candidate in the United States, is a figure who has clearly demonstrated traditional Democratic colors in policies on major issues of the upcoming November presidential election, such as abortion rights, climate change, and the economy. As governor of Minnesota, he guaranteed abortion rights, provided universal free meals to students, and set a goal for 100% clean energy transition.

[Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

According to The New York Times (NYT) and others, Governor Walz signed a bill last year guaranteeing Minnesota residents the "fundamental right to make autonomous decisions" regarding abortion and contraception. This also prevented the possibility of the bill being overturned in the future, as happened with the federal Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade.

He also took measures to legally protect patients and medical personnel when pregnant women from states where abortion is banned undergo surgery in Minnesota. Since the 2022 federal Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade, so-called "abortion travel" to other states where abortion is permitted has surged in the U.S. The 60-year-old white male appeared on CNN last March and said, "Abortion is a medical service," adding, "Older white men who do not have abortions need to learn how to talk about this issue. Listen to women."

In terms of climate change policy, he is considered one of the most proactive Democratic governors. The NYT described Walz as "one of the strongest advocates for addressing the culture of climate change." Under Walz's leadership, Minnesota has set a goal to transition to 100% renewable energy by 2040. This is regarded as more ambitious than the bill previously promoted by President Joe Biden that was blocked.

Earlier, Walz expressed strong determination to push legislation by expressing concern about abnormal weather phenomena caused by climate change, stating, "We will promote clean energy projects that help protect our environment and fight climate change." As part of this, he signed a bill directing that renewable energy facilities be prioritized in areas where fossil fuel power plants were located. When he completed his four-year term and ran for re-election in 2022, he pledged that by 2030, 20% of vehicles in Minnesota would be electric, and by 2050, to achieve net-zero carbon emissions. He also adopted regulations encouraging automakers to produce more electric and hybrid vehicles.

In terms of economic policy, Walz's actions also show a progressive hue. He has introduced many progressive policies such as tuition support for low-income students, universal free meals, and paid medical and family leave systems. Looking at the state budget, tax refunds for low-income Minnesotans, child tax credits, and taxation related to investment income targeting the wealthy also stand out.

[Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

Recently, Walz, who caused a stir by calling former Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump "weird," is one of the figures who has publicly criticized Trump for shaking the foundation of American democracy. He has expressed anger at Trump's claim that he won Minnesota in the 2020 presidential election, calling it an "insult to democracy" and a "line that cannot be crossed." Also, he has pushed for legislation introducing automatic voter registration, funding for local governments to open polling places on college campuses, and criminal penalties for election manipulation using deepfakes, all under the banner of protecting democracy.

Regarding immigration policy, he supports measures allowing undocumented immigrants who have settled and lived diligently in the U.S. to obtain citizenship. In a 2021 letter to Democratic leadership, Walz urged opening the path to citizenship for so-called "Dreamers" who came to the U.S. as children following their parents, essential workers, and families of legal immigrants. This was also a point heavily attacked by his Republican opponent during his 2022 gubernatorial re-election campaign, who claimed it "threatens the structure of life in Minnesota." At that time, he countered such criticism by saying, "Morally, economically, and culturally, it is 100% wrong." A six-term U.S. House representative from Minnesota, he was elected governor in 2018 and won re-election in 2022.

Aside from this, no notable statements have been made regarding border security policy. Regarding firearms, he was one of the few Democratic politicians who supported gun rights and received backing from the National Rifle Association (NRA), but after the 2018 Parkland high school shooting in Florida, he shifted toward gun control and donated all funds received from the NRA to charity.

Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump, the Republican presidential candidate, criticized Governor Walz as being too progressive, like Democratic vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris. Right after Harris chose Walz as her running mate, Trump wrote "THANK YOU!" in capital letters on Truth Social. Republican vice presidential candidate Senator J.D. Vance called him "one of the most extreme left-wing radicals in the entire U.S. government" during a campaign speech.