Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate, Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, stayed quiet Thursday about whether he still backs eliminating the Electoral College. This comes after the Harris campaign said Walz’s stance doesn’t reflect the campaign’s official position.
“I think all of us know, the Electoral College needs to go. We need a national popular vote,” Walz said Tuesday at a fundraiser at California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s home. He made similar comments at a Seattle event earlier.
Harris, while running for president in 2019, said she was “open” to the idea of getting rid of the Electoral College. However, campaign officials clarified that this is not the position of her current campaign after Walz’s comments.
Fox News Digital reached out to Walz’s representatives to see if he still supports replacing the Electoral College, but no response was given. The Harris-Walz campaign did send a statement to select outlets suggesting Walz’s remarks were about supporting the Electoral College.
“Governor Walz believes every vote matters in the Electoral College,” a spokesperson said to outlets like CNN and USA Today. “He was thanking supporters for helping the campaign’s goal of winning 270 electoral votes.”
🚨 Watch This Communist🚨
— The Patriots Prayer Network (@ThePatriotsPray) October 9, 2024
👇 Tim Walz wants to REMOVE the Electoral College 👇
Let’s be clear on what this REALLY means:
🛑 State rights—GONE
🛑 Our union of states—GONE
🛑 Your voice in smaller states—GONE
If they succeed in this, our country will no longer be a republic… pic.twitter.com/T7OBIeqqyy
The debate over replacing the Electoral College surged in 2016 when Donald Trump won despite losing the popular vote to Hillary Clinton. “I think it needs to be eliminated,” Clinton told CNN after her loss. She had voiced similar opinions before.
Last month, Democratic Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin warned there could be deadly consequences if the Electoral College isn’t abolished. He said the national popular vote is better than the “obsolete system” from the 18th century.
Both Republicans and Democrats have pushed to eliminate the Electoral College in the past. After Clinton’s loss, Democrats have been more vocal about it. The Electoral College was created by the Founding Fathers as a compromise between Congress voting for president and a national popular vote.
Electoral College votes are based on the Census, with 270 needed to win. The system helps balance the impact of voters in less populated states with those in more densely populated areas. It’s also seen as a safeguard against thin margins and excessive recounts.