Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz visited campaign volunteers in East Lansing, Michigan to thank them for their work on Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign on September 13, 2024. | Photo: Anna Liz Nichols
Members of the university community regale statewide change enacted because students mobilized after the school shooting on campus last year
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on Friday joined Michigan State University students in East Lansing to drum up excitement for the election and impress upon students the importance of showing up and being active in the democratic process.
And showing up is what MSU students do best, congressional candidate Curtis Hertel said. The Democratic former state senator from East Lansing is running against former state Sen. Tom Barrett (R-Charlotte) for the open 7th Congressional District seat.
As students gathered around friendship bracelet stations, standing under a “coach” balloon arch, Hertel recalled the pain he felt as an MSU alumnus and parent of a student on campus during the Feb. 13, 2023 shooting that killed three students and injured five more.
“I don’t think I ever really understood fear in that way,” Hertel said, remembering how his son was walking into the MSU Union as people were yelling that there was a gunman. “Juxtapose that night with what happened next. Students stood up, students marched … and we changed the laws to protect people so that what happened at MSU never happens to any kid again.”
As students at MSU marched at Michigan State’s Capitol, talked to elected leaders and vocally called for change, legislation to require safe storage of firearms, implement universal background checks and allow extreme risk protection orders became state law.
The Walz event with students, held on the 10th floor of the Graduate Hotel, provided a full landscape view of the university from across the street where the shooting took place.
The room was packed from front to back with “Spartans for Harris Walz” signs and Walz stood amongst students telling them how thankful he was that they are taking a stake in the election.
“I don’t think you can underestimate when young people get involved in the process, it reinforces to everyone that the future can be brighter and that our democracy is strong,” Walz said. “This whole idea of trying to get you to check out of the system is part of what they’re trying to do.”
Walz praised his running mate, Vice President Kamala Harris, for remaining focused on the needs and concerns of Americans during the recent presidential debate and trashed former President Donald Trump’s performance.
“One of those two people is going to be president of the United States. It was clear on that stage, there is only one that’s qualified to be president of the United States. Kamala Harris took that stage with poise, with dignity, with an understanding that she works for you, that it’s about what’s best for the people. And on the other side of the aisle, you saw an angry man yelling at people to get off his yard,” Walz said.
School shootings can’t be “a fact of life” as Trump’s running mate, Ohio U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance said earlier this month in Phoenix, said MSU Democrats President Liam Richichi.
Students at MSU remember Arielle Anderson, Brian Fraser and Alexandria Verner’s names, and mourn the loss of the three students who were killed in the 2023 shooting.
“We know this is something we will never get over, and that’s why we’re fighting so hard to win this election, because in East Lansing, we know we need leaders with compassion, with determination to make real change and fight for us, leaders like Harrison and Walz,” Richichi said.
Walz read off entries from a book attendees had written in, listing reasons they’re voting in the election. Reasons included protecting reproductive rights, preserving the American dream and fighting for a world where kids can be safe going to school.
“I’m grateful for our democracy that you’re here. There’s a lot of folks that would like to tell you that our system is broken, like to tell you your vote doesn’t count, like to tell you that the system’s rigged, all of those things,” Walz said. “You coming here is an absolute manifestation that you believe in this country, you believe in this democracy, and you’re going to take a stake in it. So thank you so very much for that.”
Michigan will be an influential state in the election, and Walz said he’s already feeling the Michigan influence in his own house as Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer sends his son, Gus, MSU memorabilia.
“Gus is a Spartan,” Walz said to the laughter of the crowd. “She sends him shirts, she sends him Vernors, she sends him everything and so I go out to like Gopher games and he’s all dressed out in green. It’s bad politics.”
Walz was joined at events by his daughter, Hope.
Both Minnesota and Michigan have made school breakfast and lunch free to students, Walz said, adding that Michiganders understand the importance of taking care of people in school and in government.
“We have a saying in Minnesota, ‘When we all do better, we all do better.’ It’s pretty simple,” Walz said.
Saying that certain people don’t belong or trying to govern “other people’s bedrooms” is not healthy,” Walz said, slamming Trump’s work to end the federal right to abortion.
Walz’s visit to mid-Michigan follows his Thursday rally on the west side of the state at the Grand Rapids Public Museum, where he began by thanking “Eras Tour” singer and vocal cat lover Taylor Swift for endorsing Harris for president. Swift, who’s won 14 Grammys and is worth an estimated $1.3 billion, posted her endorsement on Instagram after the presidential debate, signing the post, “Taylor Swift, Childless Cat Lady,” a reference to Vance’s previous remarks degrading the demographic on Fox News.
“Thank you to my fellow cat owner, Taylor Swift,” Walz said, quickly clarifying that Swift was not making a surprise appearance. “Vice President Harris and I couldn’t be more excited to have her support … It’s not as if I didn’t warn these guys a few months ago. You mess with cat people and you will find out.”
Walz had the same message for MSU students as he did for Grand Rapids saying “rooms” will determine elections, especially in battleground Michigan where a close race is expected.
But as the election plays out, Walz told the Grand Rapids crowd to remember what unites voters in Michigan: midwestern kindness.
Trump has turned neighbors into enemies, Walz said, adding that it goes against what fundamentally drives Michiganders and Minnosotans alike.
“It’s on purpose. He broke our political system. He tried to break our faith in one another. He tried to break the thing that makes Midwesterners stick together. We’re positive people. … We’re nice folks. We’ll dig you out after a snowstorm. We’ll say ‘hi’ to you at the store. Some of us might even let you merge on the highway,” Walz said.
As states like Michigan and Wisconsin remain up for grabs in the election, still listening to what candidates have to say, Walz said Harris’ campaign understands something that Trump doesn’t.
“One thing I’ll tell you about Midwesterners that stretches across that beautiful blue wall of northern America here,” Walz said. “The one thing about us is, don’t ever mistake our kindness for weakness.”
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