As Minnesota governor and now Vice Presidential candidate, Tim Walz has consistently drawn upon his working-class roots, Midwestern sensibilities, and public service ethos on the campaign trail and when governing. His journey—from a small-town Nebraska upbringing to a rising national figure—reveals many of the key values and experiences that have shaped his communication style and policy priorities.
The question is: Are Tim Walz’s mannerisms and political style, which might be called ‘common man progressivism’, resonating with swing voters strongly enough to draw them to the Democratic ticket?
As a former football coach, armed services member, and school teacher, one might think that Walz is one of the strongest candidates for national office imaginable, especially when running against this particular set of opponents. But in today’s toxic political and social environment, an ‘average guy’ who embraces progressive policies might just be seen as a progressive on the campaign trail. In the eyes of MAGA-leaning but persuadable swing voters, Walz, despite his many virtues, might be just another ‘cuck’.
Hence the title of today’s post – The Coach: Tim Walz and the Risks of ‘Common Man Progressivism’.
An Authentic Son of the Great Plains
Born in the town of West Point, Nebraska in 1964 – the same year as his running mate, Kamala Harris – Tim Walz was raised in a rural and largely working-class environment in the nearby town of Valentine, where a strong sense of responsibility was instilled in children at an early age. His father and mother had both been raised on farms and his father was school superintendent — a career that influenced Walz’s appreciation for public service. These beginnings shaped Walz’s worldview.
Tim Walz’s career in government and self-presentation as a candidate for office is deeply intertwined with two defining periods in his life: his time in the National Guard and his role as a high school teacher and football coach. These experiences shaped his personal character and set the foundation for his political philosophy, which emphasizes public service and community engagement.
These qualities find a stark contrast in Walz’s opponent for the office of Vice President in Republican candidate J.D. Vance. Whereas Walz’s career of service began humbly in the National Guard and evolved gradually, and without much flash, into public school teaching and a seat in the House of Representatives, Vance’s career, as we outlined in a recent post, has been marked by adroit career moves, shameless self-promotion, the rapid abandonment of former allies and positions when most convenient, and throughout, a demonically tenacious social climbing.
The two men could not be more different. But Vance is the one with the silver tongue. Walz’s plain-spoken demeanor may ultimately prove insufficient to win persuadable voters to his cause.
The National Guard: Start of A Commitment to Public Service
Tim Walz’s 24-year career in the U.S. Army National Guard began in 1981 when he enlisted as a 17-year-old, seeking a way to serve his country while pursuing personal and educational goals. His enlistment came during a period of relative peace, but his decision to join was rooted in a long tradition of military service in his family. His grandfather and father both served in the military, and Walz saw the National Guard as a way to honor that legacy while balancing the demands of civilian life.
During his time in the Guard, Walz gradually rose through the ranks, ultimately achieving the position of Command Sergeant Major (CSM), the highest non-commissioned officer rank available in the Army National Guard. The CSM rank in the U.S. Army focuses on basic training, indoctrinating military values into ‘green’ recruits, and advising commanding officers. Achievement of that rank was a testament to Walz’s discipline and dedication to the men and women under his command.
Walz’s Guard service took him to places such as Italy and South Korea, providing him with an international perspective that would influence his political views. His duties were diverse, ranging from logistical operations to leading troops in training exercises, but the common thread was his ability to connect with those around him and inspire confidence.
His service culminated in deployments following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, a time of heightened tension and demands on the National Guard. While Walz did not serve in direct combat, his leadership during these deployments supported the war effort and helped maintain morale among the troops.
Beyond the immediate duties of military life, Walz’s time in the National Guard reinforced his belief in the importance of civic duty and public service. It also instilled in him a deep respect for the working-class Americans who serve in the military, and provided him with firsthand knowledge of the challenges facing military veterans, something that he would carry with him into public office. His experience as a National Guard officer also sharpened his awareness of the disconnect between the effects of government policies on everyday Americans and the decision-making class in Washington.
Coaching: A Window into Walz’s Leadership Style
After his first four years in the National Guard, Walz pivoted towards higher education, first as a college student and then as a high school teacher and football coach.
As a college student, Walz attended Chadron State College in Chadron, Nebraska, one of the three public colleges that make up the Nebraska State College System. At Chadron, Walz balanced his studies and continuing National Guard duties with a desire to be involved in broader campus life. Walz became an elected member of the student government as well as an honors student in sociology and geography. It was here that Walz began to develop his appreciation for team-building and public speaking — qualities that would greatly assist his future career.
Walz’s leadership skills were further honed in the classroom and on the football field, as he was soon teaching geography and social studies at Mankato West High School in Minnesota, along with serving as an assistant football coach. Walz moved to Minnesota in 1996 to continue the teaching career he had begun in Nebraska. This chapter of his life, while often overshadowed by his military and political activities, offers some revealing insights into his character.
As a teacher, Walz was respected for his ability to make complex geographic and historical concepts relatable to his students. He emphasized the importance of understanding the world beyond one’s immediate surroundings, drawing from his experiences in the military to highlight how global events were interconnected. His teaching style was hands-on, and he was known for bringing real-world examples into the classroom to make lessons more relevant and engaging.
But it was his role as an assistant football coach that solidified Walz’s reputation as a mentor and leader in the Mankato community. Football, for Walz, was more than just the sport—it was a way to teach young men discipline, teamwork, and grit. He often drew parallels between challenges on the football field and the obstacles his students would face in life, teaching them that success required both individual effort and collaboration with others. During Walz’s time as defensive coach/coordinator, Mankato West’s football team won their first state championship in 1999.
Walz was much liked by the players for his ability to inspire confidence and instill discipline without being overbearing. He was the kind of coach who would stay after practice to help a struggling player or talk with them about their problems off the field. Former players have commented on Walz’s ability to connect with young athletes, meeting them where they were rather than talking down to them, and helping them to become more resilient.
His work as a coach also offered him a unique window into the lives of working-class families. He saw firsthand the challenges many of his students faced at home—including financial difficulties, lack of access to opportunities, and social pressures. These experiences gave Walz a deep empathy for the struggles of lower income families and helped to shape his political platform.
From Congress to the Governorship: Building on Core Values
Walz’s entry into politics came in 2006, when he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Minnesota’s 1st Congressional District. During his six terms in Congress, where he served in the House from 2007 to 2019, Walz established a reputation as a pragmatic problem solver who was focused primarily on veterans’ issues, education, and rural healthcare. His legislative record reflects a commitment to the well-being of working-class families and underserved communities, with particular attention to the challenges faced by military veterans returning to civilian life.
Walz’s Congressional service was marked by an ability to build bipartisan coalitions—an approach that earned him respect on both sides of the aisle, particularly when it came to his work on behalf of veterans. As co-chair of the National Guard and Reserve Components Caucus, he advocated for improved benefits and support for service members and their families, often drawing upon his own military experience to inform his policy positions.
When Walz was elected governor of Minnesota in November 2018, he brought with him the values and principles that had guided him throughout his life. His tenure has been defined by his efforts to address income inequality including by providing free meals in public schools, to improve access to healthcare, and tackle climate change-related issue, all while maintaining a focus on fiscal responsibility.
A Generally Left-Leaning Record as Governor of Minnesota
One of the most notable initiatives of Walz’s governorship was his response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Minnesota was one of the first states to implement stringent public health measures, including mask mandates and school closures. These measures were extremely controversial, but Walz defended them as necessary to save lives, frequently citing the advice of public health experts and emphasizing the need to “follow the science.”
Walz’s gubernatorial administration also rolled out one of the most comprehensive COVID-19 testing programs in the country, aiming to minimize community spread while ensuring the safety of the most vulnerable populations, including lower income individuals, the rural poor and Native Americans. These efforts won Walz plaudits from other Democrats and liberal-leaning segments of the media, but Walz also came in for harsh criticism from right-wingers for these same measures.
Beyond the pandemic response, Walz has able to expand access to affordable healthcare in Minnesota. Under Walz’s leadership, Minnesota established a public option for healthcare coverage, allowing individuals to buy into MinnesotaCare, a state-run insurance program. This initiative, dubbed “OneCare,” aims to provide affordable healthcare for all Minnesotans, especially those in rural areas who have historically struggled with limited access to medical services.
In education, Walz championed increased funding for public schools, emphasizing the importance of early childhood education. His administration has worked to reduce disparities in educational outcomes, particularly for low-income students and minority communities. Walz views education as playing in critical role in leveling the playing field and providing opportunities citizens at all income levels.
On climate policy, Walz has pushed for aggressive action, committing Minnesota to achieving 100% clean energy by 2040. His administration has supported investments in renewable energy, with a focus on creating green jobs and modernizing the state’s energy grid to reduce carbon emissions.
A Plain-Spoken Partisan, Albeit with Empathy
Throughout his nearly six years as Minnesota’s governor, Walz has never altered his speaking style or displayed much contempt or even antagonism toward his political opponents. The arguments he advances for his policy choices – whether you agree with them or not – tend to be commonsensical in presentation and less loaded with ideological jargon than those of some of his Democratic peers. This is why Greymantle has termed Walz’s style ‘common man progressivism’ to provide a contrast to the more high-handed styles of Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC).
Walz’s record as governor of Minnesota suggests an ability to lead through a combination of pragmatism and a more hard-edged approach to politics when needed, albeit in a manner that is mindful of the impact of policy decisions on citizens (business owners adversely impact by pandemic lockdowns might disagree!). As the Democratic Vice Presidential candidate, Walz brings with him not only a wealth of experience but a deep understanding of the challenges facing American families.
Will A Record of Public Service and Leadership Be Enough?
Again, the question is: ‘Will Walz’s personal qualities and rhetorical style be enough to convince voters to support the Harris-Walz ticket over the Trump-Vance ticket?’
It’s very much an open question.
This is because, as David Brooks pointed out last Friday in one of his better NY Times op-eds in recent years (and it must be said, the old boy has been slipping in his coverage of politics!), America’s two political parties have become something more akin to churches, tribes or spiritual movements than to traditional political parties that field candidates and win elections.
Each party is presently being directed more by an ersatz ‘priesthood’ of media elites who set the acceptable terms of debate for each tribe than they are by elected officials or old-time party ‘bosses’, and woe be to he who breaks with elite consensus or party orthodoxy.
This culturally charged environment has the effect of negating qualities that used to be seen as assets in candidates two generations ago, turning them into liabilities instead.
Americans used to appreciate military service and school teachers. Now, one side of the aisle disdains the military, while the other disdains school teachers. Having once been both a member of the military and a school teacher, Walz could potentially appeal to both sides and be a great ‘crossover vote’ getter, but it’s just as likely that both sides will see him as a phony or an enemy and hate him anyway.
Which is strange, because Walz does not exactly have a personality that inspires strong negative emotions. Even if he does wear his ‘ordinary Midwestern dad’ schtick a bit thin at times, there is still enough that is genuine beneath Walz’s bluster that it’s tough to dislike his manner. Hence the title of today’s post – The Coach: Tim Walz and the Risks of ‘Common Man Progressivism’.
The problem is that vast swathes of the American working class and rural residents have come to see the Republican Party as their natural home, and the Democratic Party as the home of their tribal enemies and social antagonists, which, in effect, it is.
So you can walk like ’em and talk like ’em all you want, but if there is a blue ‘D’ after your name on the ballot, then those ‘folksy’ qualities will likely count for next to nothing.
Let’s keep our fingers crossed that there are still a few ‘crossover’ voters out there.
Our fourth and final profile of the 2024 Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates will be published the week of October 27 and focus on Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump.
Until next time, I remain —
Greymantle
