WEST POINT, Neb (KMTV) — Its wild what a difference just a few weeks can make.
A month ago the Democratic ticket was in disarray.
Biden was floundering after a poor debate performance and Harris’ future as his VP was in question.
But now, with a set candidate and Nebraska born VP on the ticket, the rough waters appear to be starting to calm for the Democrats.
“For rural voters this is the first time we have someone who actually knows us. We don’t have to hand a briefing book to or a Carhartt T-shirt to, Governor Walz has all of that in spades. He knows the issues we care about from rural schools to country of origin labeling,” said Nebraska Democratic Party chair Jane Kleeb.
Tim Walz might be best known for his time as the Governor of Minnesota but he spent his early years in small towns across Nebraska.
Born in West Point, Walz and his family would later move to Valentine and after that Butte where Walz graduated high school.
After a stint in the National Guard Walz would return to Nebraska to earn his teaching degree at Chadron State. He then spent his early years teaching in Alliance where he would meet his wife Gwen.
It’s an upbringing familiar to many in rural Nebraska, and something that Kleeb feels will help carry water with small town voters.
“We are now expanding the map. This is no longer and East Coast, West Coast party. We are going for Middle America,” said Kleeb.
Winning those rural voters though will take a lot of work.
We spoke with four different people in downtown West Point, all declined to go on camera with one citing concerns with liberal media bias. But all told us off camera that they are strong Trump supporters and Walz being picked isn’t changing that.
But Kleeb is hopeful that could change as folks learn more about Walz.
“Governor Walz knows rural folks. He is from rural America and has never forgotten those roots. We think that the state of Nebraska is in play but also other Midwest and rural states,” said Kleeb.
With their ticket in place Democrats can now turn their focus to the campaign ahead.
That message, Kleeb says, is a simple one.
“We are not gonna stay stuck in this 1980s culture wars the republicans want us to stay in and constantly talking about fear and hate. We have a message of hope and love and we think that is gonna win over hate and fear,” said Kleeb.
