Tim Walz, Minnesota governor and running mate of Democratic vice-presidential nominee Kamala Harris is charting his solo campaign course, landing in the City of Angels to engage with the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees at their International Convention. The convention, being held at the Los Angeles Convention Center, marks Walz's first independent stride since joining the ticket, as reported by ABC7.
But it’s not just a stopover for stirring speeches, later Tuesday, Walz's agenda brings him to a high-ticket fundraiser in Newport Beach, with entrance fees climbing as high as $100,000. This gathering, infused with a current of anticipation, has earnest Democratic supporters and significant fundraiser Wylie Aitken at its helm, who expressed his amazement at the fervor this event has sparked, noting a sell-out crowd ready to welcome Walz. “I’ve never had an event, frankly, where there is so much enthusiasm, to the extent where we’ve sold out and we’re telling people we can’t help them,” Aitken told City News Service, as ABC7 reports.
Yet beneath the sheen of political fervor, criticism laces the air in Orange County. The local GOP has cast disparagement upon Walz's military record, contrasting it with the experiences of Republican vice-presidential nominee JD Vance. “It’s a slap in the face to Orange County veterans for Tim Walz to fundraise off stolen valor in a community with over 100,000 veterans,” the county's Republicans have asserted, questioning the integrity of Walz's service. In response, Veterans Alliance of Orange County’s Nick Berardino reflected on the diverse roles within military service, stressing respect for all uniform wearers.
On the local governance front, Newport Beach Mayor Will O’Neill extended a mixed welcome through a social media post, acknowledging Walz's visit to his city, that boasts a solid Republican council and conservative values. “We will showcase a city that didn't defund the police, that embraces conservative economic values, that decreases debt and increases quality of life, that did not allow protestors to burn out local businesses, and that cares about human flourishing,” O'Neill wrote, as ABC7 noted.
Walz's fundraising tour doesn't pause in California. The vice-presidential hopeful is slated to navigate a whirlwind of five fundraisers spread over five states in just three days, jetting next to Denver and Boston, and then onto Newport, Rhode Island, and Southampton, New York, to build a robust war chest for the Democratic ticket, as sources confirm.
