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The “welcome home” chants that greeted Tim Walz over the weekend didn’t come from Mankato or St. Paul or anywhere in Minnesota for that matter.

They were in Nebraska, where he was born and spent much of his pre-political life.

The Minnesota governor and the 2024 Democratic vice presidential nominee found himself back in campaign mode of a different sort. Over the weekend, he held the first two in a promised series of town hall-style events to give fellow Democrats a chance to vent about President Donald Trump’s first two months in office.

Walz spent time in Iowa and Nebraska — and will make a similar trip to western Wisconsin this week — as he visits Republican-held congressional districts to talk about national affairs. 

The drop-ins come as state lawmakers in Minnesota remain busy with the legislative session now at its midpoint.

 as a DFL lawmaker is sworn in to fill a vacancy. The Senate is split 34-33 in favor of Democrats. The close divide of the Legislature as a whole will require a lot of finesse as Walz and lawmakers work to build a new two-year budget with tighter state finances as another complicating factor.

interview with MPR News while in Des Moines

, Walz pushed back on Republican criticism that he’s distracted from his current job.

“I have already put out a budget weeks ago. I will put out a revised budget by next Friday,” Walz said. “I have yet to see a single line item from the Republicans. I am there. No one’s ever accused me of not doing the work.”

The pair of events were focused, though, on Trump administration actions, ranging from deep cuts to federal agencies to tariffs roiling trade relationships around the globe. 

Walz and presidential nominee Kamala Harris won the Omaha-area district where Walz appeared on Saturday at a local community college. But voters there also reelected GOP Rep. Don Bacon to Congress.

“I am not here to personally attack the representative, Representative Bacon,” Walz told the crowd of hundreds. “I don’t do that. They do on the other side.” 

Walz heard fear and anger from the audience in Omaha.

Amanda Brinkworth, who was there, said she sees a lot of value in the visiting governor just hearing people’s concerns. 

“Letting those people stand up and talk about how frustrated they are, is really important,” she said, her voice cracking with emotion. “Myself, I’m a scientist, and I’m worried about research funding. I’m worried about the people that work in my lab and what I’ve dedicated my life to doing. ”

Some at the events were steamed about Democratic U.S. senators voting last week to advance a Republican bill to fund the government and avert a shutdown. Trump signed it on Saturday, extending government funding through September.

“Some Democrats helped passed the budget,” Omaha forum attendee Brooke Torson said. “How are we standing up to Trump-slash-MAGA to stop things from going through?”

Walz replied, “A lot of people have been asking that question.”

The governor talked for a bit, asked the audience what they thought and summarized what he observed. 

“I get the overwhelming feeling that the vast majority of people wish that they would have voted ‘no,’” Walz said. “Is that true?”

The events were organized by the Democratic parties in each state, and Walz blasted out fundraising emails for his governor campaign account before and after both events.

“Let’s raise some hell,” read the subject line of one following his stop in Nebraska. Walz hasn’t said if he’ll seek a rare third term as governor next year or fix his gaze on another national campaign in 2028.

Iowan Gene Merritt implored Democrats to change their approach.

“The Democrats just don’t know how to fight,” he said at the high school where Walz held a forum on Friday. “Republicans played dirty, and we’re like not and we’re losing. And we need to fight dirtier.”

At the Des Moines stop, Walz said it’s up to the crowds at these kinds of events to shape the future of the party. 

“There is not going to be a charismatic leader to ride in and do this,” he said. “It is going to be people coming out on a beautiful Friday afternoon demanding change and holding people accountable.”

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Clay Masters

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Gov. Tim Walz mingled with Democrats in Iowa and Nebraska for what were billed as town halls focused on Trump administration policies. But Walz and Minnesota lawmakers have their work cut out for them in a reconfigured Legislature.

After drop-ins to a pair of GOP-led states, Walz returns to a rearranged Minnesota Capitol

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