Tim Walz tries — and fails — to walk back call to end Electoral College in ‘GMA’ interview



Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz appeared to double down Thursday on his support of getting rid of the Electoral College — despite getting smacked down by the Harris campaign the first time he called for the radical constitutional change.

“Well, it’s not the campaign’s position, and the point that I’m trying to make is that there’s folks that feel like every vote must count in every state,” the Democratic vice presidential nominee told ABC News “Good Morning America” co-host Michael Strahan in an interview.

“And I think some of the folks feel that that’s not the case.”

ABC’s Michael Strahan asked Walz about the recent campaign dustup over the Electoral College. ABC

During a campaign fundraiser Tuesday night, the 60-year-old had told attendees: “I think all of us know that the Electoral College needs to go” in favor of settling presidential elections by the national popular vote.

The Harris-Walz campaign quickly issued a statement later that night clarifying that Walz’s comment did not reflect their position.

“The campaign’s position is clear — that that’s not their position,” Walz told Strahan. “Their position and my position is to make sure that everybody understands that their vote — no matter what state they’re in, matters.

“I have spoken about it in the past and she’s been very clear on this and the campaign and my position is the campaign’s position.”

Jake Krupa colors in an electoral map as states are projected for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump or Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton at an election watching party in Coconut Grove, Florida, on November 8, 2016. AFP via Getty Images
Attendees look at a map of the US electoral college during the Republican National Convention (RNC) near the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Wednesday, July 17, 2024. Bloomberg via Getty Images

No Republican candidate has won a popular vote majority since George W. Bush in 2004.

Democrats Al Gore and Hillary Clinton won the popular vote in 2000 and 2016, but lost the all-important Electoral College.

Vice President and 2024 Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris and her running mate Minnesota Governor Tim Walz wave to the crowd after speaking at the campaign rally at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, August 20, 2024. AFP via Getty Images

“Governor Walz believes that every vote matters in the Electoral College and he is honored to be traveling the country and battleground states working to earn support for the Harris-Walz ticket,” a Walz spokesperson told the New York Times.

“He was commenting to a crowd of strong supporters about how the campaign is built to win 270 electoral votes. And, he was thanking them for their support that is helping fund those efforts.”



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