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DEMOCRATIC Vice Presidential nominee Tim Walz’s brother has publicly voiced his disapproval of his brother’s stances and publicly endorsed Republican nominee Donald Trump.
Jeff Walz, 67, is a Florida resident and registered Republican whose Facebook posts critical of his younger brother were discovered by right-wing influencer, Laura Loomer.
Democratic vice presidential nominee and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz’s brother has spoken out against the nominee on social media[/caption]
Jeff Walz, left, has been critical of his younger brother’s politics and said they haven’t spoken in eight years.[/caption]
Democratic presidential candidate US Vice President Kamala Harris listen to her running mate, Governor Tim Walz, speak during a visit with members of the marching band at Liberty County High School in Hinesville, Georgia, August 28, 2024, as they travel across Georgia for a 2-day campaign bus tour. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP) (Photo […][/caption]
“We’ve just become a third-world banana republic,” Jeff wrote on March 23, 2023.
That is the same day Trump was indicted in the case that eventually saw him convicted of 34 felony counts in New York.
The brothers, according to another post by Jeff, have not spoken to each other in over eight years.
“I’m 100% opposed to all of his ideology,” Jeff said of his brother in a comment.
Jeff, who donated to Trump in 2016 during his first presidential run, according to Federal Election Commission records, also expressed the conflict he said he faces this election season.
He told one user in a comment that he was unsure whether he should get on stage with Trump to endorse him and publicly speak out against his brother.
Jeff expressed being torn on the decision, saying he may not want to cause issues within his family by doing so.
“Get on stage with Trump and endorse him, help save this country,” read one comment under a post of his.
“I’ve thought hard about doing something like that,” Jeff replied.
“The stories I could tell. Not the type of person you want making decisions about your future,” he continued.
One person wrote to Jeff in the comments, telling him that a public Trump endorsement would “speak volumes,” implying his actions could very well influence the election and how people feel about his brother.
However, family members speaking out against politicians is not a new phenomenon.
Nor does it usually impact voters enough to significantly sway an election, according to experts.
FAMILY DRAMA
From Ronald Reagan’s son, Ron, to Barack Obama’s brother, Malik, to Trump’s niece, Mary, and even Robert F. Kennedy’s family – who released a statement saying he “betrayed” his family name after endorsing Trump in an attempt for a job in his administration.
Malik Obama, Barack’s half-brother, even fed into the conspiracy theory that the then-President was not born in America.
In 2020, he posted a faux birth certificate on social media, showing Barack was born in the Republic of Kenya in 1961, despite the country not being founded until 1964.
Mary Trump, another critical figure of her family’s politicians, has been outspoken about her opposition to her uncle, his policies, and his “narcissistic” and “abusive” character.
Mary even wrote a book about her experiences growing up around the former president and in the Trump family.
While Jeff Walz’s public criticism of his brother may stir some conversation, experts believe it is unlikely to significantly impact the overall election outcome.
Familial disagreements, though often sensationalized and entertaining, typically end up serving more as footnotes in the political landscape rather than pivotal moments that alter the course of campaigns.
Tim Walz record as Governor of Minnesota
Who is Democratic Vice Presidential Nominee Tim Walz?
Tim Walz was born in a small town in rural Nebraska, representing and flipping a deep red district in Southern Minnesota in Congress.
Walz prides himself on knowing rural issues, and the Midwest, signing into law some of the most progressive legislation of any governor in the country with just a one-seat majority.
He is a 24-year veteran of the Army National Guard, a former public school teacher for over 20 years, a union member, a state championship-winning football coach, and his school’s faculty advisor for the Gay-Straight Alliance before becoming a congressman with one of the most bipartisan records in the House of Representatives, and the successful Governor of Minnesota – leading the state to become the sixth-best state in the nation for business.
Some policies that Walz has passed as Governor of Minnesota:
- Universal free school breakfast and lunch for all public school students
- Free tampons and pads in all public school bathrooms and locker rooms
- Legalized marijuana
- Signed legislation aiming to create carbon-free electricity state-wide by 2040
- Tax rebates for the working class up to $1,300 for residents making under $150k per year
- Lowered taxes on small businesses
- Became the first state to implement a minimum wage for Uber and Lyft drivers
- 12 weeks of paid family leave
- 12 weeks of paid sick leave
- Banned conversion therapy in the state
- Implemented red flag laws and universal background checks for gun purchases
- Automatic voter registration for state residents
- Free public college under $80k for all state residents
- Ban on PFAS, known as forever chemicals, in the state’s water supply
- $2.2 billion increase in k-12 public school funding
- Sectoral bargaining for nursing home workers
- Strengthened access to abortion
- Passed the largest infrastructure bill in state history
- Massive investments into affordable housing and public transportation
