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Tim Walz coming back to Nebraska’s 2nd District for Harris on Oct. 19

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Tim Walz coming back to Nebraska’s 2nd District for Harris on Oct. 19

Oct 13, 2024 | 9:27 am ET
By Aaron Sanderford
Tim Walz coming back to Nebraska’s 2nd District for Harris on Oct. 19
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Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz speaks at a rally in La Vista, Nebraska, on Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024. (Naomi Delkamiller/Nebraska News Service)

OMAHA — Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a former Nebraska high school teacher and coach, is making a second presidential campaign stop Oct. 19 in Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District.

Tim Walz coming back to Nebraska’s 2nd District for Harris on Oct. 19
Vice President and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris speaks at an event hosted by The Economic Club of Pittsburgh at Carnegie Mellon University on Sept. 25 in Pittsburgh. (Jeff Swensen/Getty Images)

Walz visited La Vista the weekend after being named Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate. He hosted a rally that filled a concert venue in suburban Sarpy County with supporters hoping to win a single stray Electoral College vote from the 2nd District.

The 2nd District is considered up for grabs by many political observers, despite a slight Republican lean. It has split twice in the past four presidential elections, going most recently for President Joe Biden in 2020 and Trump in 2016.

Harris leads most national and local polling in the 2nd District, while former Republican President Donald Trump leads significantly statewide. Both campaigns are knocking on Omaha-area voters’ doors, but Harris and her backers have put more money into local advertising. 

Nebraska and Maine award a single electoral vote to the winner of the presidential popular vote in each congressional district. The 48 other states award all of their electoral votes to the statewide winner, an approach many call “winner-take-all.”

Walz’s October rally comes after Republicans in the officially nonpartisan Nebraska Legislature and Gov. Jim Pillen fell short of finding enough votes to switch the state to winner-take-all, despite help from former President Donald Trump and his team.

Tim Walz coming back to Nebraska’s 2nd District for Harris on Oct. 19
The Republican presidential nominee, former U.S. President Donald Trump, speaks at the Detroit Economic Club on Oct. 10, 2024, in Detroit. (Bill Pugliano/Getty Images)

His wife, Gwen, hosted a stop Oct. 5, during a swing state and swing district bus tour for reproductive rights, at North Omaha’s campus for Metropolitan Community College. 

Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, Trump’s running mate, stopped in Omaha for a fundraiser Aug. 21 and visited with local Republicans at a local sports bar.

Trump’s campaign also hosted Iowa Republican U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst on Saturday at a get-out-the-vote event in west Omaha.

The last time Tim Walz was here, he razzed Vance for not knowing Nebraska. He joked that Vance wouldn’t know what a Runza was and then closed his visit by eating one.

On substance, Walz argued that Harris is the better choice on reproductive rights, political freedoms, economic opportunity and democratic ideals. He also talked about veterans’ needs and his service in the Nebraska and Minnesota National Guard.

RFK Jr., Tulsi Gabbard to campaign in 2nd District for Trump after Walz visit for Harris

Nebraska Democratic Party Chair Jane Kleeb said Nebraska is “on the map” to help Harris and Walz in the presidential race. She said she is proud the 2nd District can bring Walz back to his home state again, “this time to get folks fired up to vote early and vote for a new way forward.”

Liz Huston, a regional spokeswoman for Trump’s campaign, called Walz “out of touch with Nebraskans.” She criticized his stances on immigration enforcement, public safety and climate change.

“Tim Walz is dangerously liberal and his record speaks for itself,” she said. “Nebraskans want a leader that puts Americans first and that’s why they will overwhelmingly vote for President Trump.”

More details about the Walz visit will be announced shortly.