How Tim Walz's kids have influenced how he governs

As governor of Minnesota, Tim Walz has made no secret that his kids have played a big role in helping to shape his policy priorities.

They’ve also helped bolster Walz’s image as a normal dad. His daughter Hope, 23, has been featured alongside her father in a light-hearted video promoting a statewide ban on the use of handheld cellphones while driving, and a second encouraging residents to go to the Minnesota State Fair.

When his son Gus, 17, passed his drivers license test in October 2023, Walz shared what he called a “proud dad moment” with a selfie taken with his son behind the wheel.

IVF and reproductive health care rights

In 2023, Walz signed a bill into law that codified protections for reproductive health care in Minnesota, including abortion and in vitro fertilization (IVF). Reproductive rights are a personal matter for Walz, who has said he and his wife, Gwen, underwent seven years of fertility treatments prior to conceiving Hope.

“It’s not by chance that we named our daughter Hope,” Walz told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune about the difficulties he and his wife faced in having children.

Last year, after the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that fertilized embryos are human beings, effectively outlawing IVF in the state, Walz blasted the ruling as “anti-science.”

“Gwen and I have two beautiful children because of reproductive health care like IVF. This issue is deeply personal to our family and so many others,” Walz wrote in a Facebook post. “Don’t let these guys get away with this by telling you they support IVF when their handpicked judges oppose it.”

Walz also vowed “to build up the battlements around protection as much as I can,” and criticized Donald Trump’s running mate, JD Vance, who voted against a bill to enshrine protections for IVF.

“Even if you’ve never gone through the hell of infertility, someone you know has. When Gwen and I were having trouble getting pregnant, the anxiety and frustration blotted out the sun,” he wrote in July in a post on X. “JD Vance opposing the miracle of IVF is a direct attack on my family and so many others.”

Gun control measures

Up until 2018, Walz had received enthusiastic backing from gun rights groups like the National Rifle Association. But early that year, when Walz had launched his first campaign for governor, a gunman opened fire with an AR-style semiautomatic rifle at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., killing 17 people and injuring 17 others.

Walz came out in favor of banning assault weapons.

“This is about bringing in responsible gun owners who understand something’s got to be done,” he said in an interview with the Star Tribune.

On the campaign trail, he also credited Hope with helping him to make that policy switch.

“Hope woke up like many of you did five weeks ago and said, ‘Dad, you’re the only person I know who is in elected office. You need to stop what’s happening with this.’ I’ll take my kick in the butt from the NRA. I spent 25 years in the army and I hunt, and I gave [the NRA] the money back,” Walz told audiences.

Once he was elected governor, Walz went even further, signing legislation to tighten a variety of gun control measures.

“As a veteran, gun owner, hunter, and dad, I know basic gun safety isn’t a threat to the Second Amendment — it’s about keeping our kids safe,” Walz in a 2023 statement after signing a law that requires universal background checks for private party transfers of pistols and semiautomatic weapons. “There’s no place for weapons of war in our schools, churches, banks, or anywhere else people are just trying to live their lives. Today is about taking meaningful action to create a safer future for our kids, and I am proud to sign this commonsense, life-saving legislation into law.”

Hands-free driving

In 2019, Walz signed a law that seeks to cut down on distracted driving in the state by banning the use of handheld cellphones while driving in the state.

“Many of the families who have been affected by distracted driving, and who have been tirelessly advocating for this law, are the reason we’re here today,” Walz said of the legislation. “Minnesotans deserve safe roads, and this bipartisan bill helps prevent senseless accidents and improves our public safety.”

To promote the new law, Walz and Hope cut a blooper-style video that has itself become a social media phenomenon.

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• Who is Tim Walz? Kamala Harris names Minnesota governor as VP pick. “It reminds me a bit of the first day of school.” [Yahoo News]

• Tim Walz's 2 Kids: All About His Daughter Hope and Son Gus. “Walz noted that he and Gwen named their first child Hope to reflect their IVF journey together.” [People]

• How Kamala Harris' VP pick Tim Walz stacks up against JD Vance. “On a slew of issues, Walz and Vance are generally aligned with their running mates – and distinct from one another.” [USA Today]

• What you should know about Gov. Tim Walz's record in office amid VP speculation. “Here's a look at his life and career.” [Minneapolis Star Tribune]

• Reactions to Kamala Harris' pick of Tim Walz for vice president. “It's great to have him on the team. Now let’s get to work.” [Reuters]

• How Kamala Harris Got To Yes on Tim Walz. “If the Upper Midwest is the crossbeam for Democrats’ Blue Wall, then Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is its new cornerpost.” [Time magazine]