WASHINGTON — After news broke that Vice President Kamala Harris had officially selected Tim Walz as her running mate, former president Trump’s campaign blasted a fundraising email warning Walz would “unleash hell on earth” with far-left policies. As Republicans scour Walz’s record for targets, the Minnesota governor’s controversial Covid-19 response is likely to resurface.
In April 2020, Walz extended an emergency stay-at-home order which lasted through mid-May — prompting then-president Trump to declare “LIBERATE MINNESOTA!” on the social media platform X. A little over a month later, after easing the stay-at-home order, the Democratic governor issued an indoor mask mandate for the state.
During a Philadelphia rally Tuesday night, Walz took several shots at Trump.“Some of us are old enough to remember when it was Republicans who were talking about freedom. It turns out now what they meant was the government should be free to invade your doctor’s office,” he said to the crowd. “If Trump gets a chance to return, he’s going to pick up exactly where he left off four years ago.”
This article is exclusive to STAT+ subscribers
Unlock this article — plus daily intelligence on Capitol Hill and the life sciences industry — by subscribing to STAT+.
Already have an account? Log in
Already have an account? Log in
About the Author Reprints
To submit a correction request, please visit our Contact Us page.
STAT encourages you to share your voice. We welcome your commentary, criticism, and expertise on our subscriber-only platform, STAT+ Connect