With President Joe Biden stepping down from re-election later this year and endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee, Harris has selected Tim Walz as her own vice presidential nominee.
In selecting Tim Walz as her vice presidential nominee, Harris appears to have chosen someone who has taken an even more extreme position on abortion over the years than she has.
In June 2018 at a Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL) convention, Walz said “My record is so pro-choice, Nancy Pelosi asked me if I should tone it down”.
Our news team has done a deep dive, reviewing his past statements and votes on abortion along with a number of other resources to produce this in-depth article on his views on abortion.
Walz has made abortion a cornerstone of his legislative agenda while in office and has consistently voted for radical pro-abortion legislation, including against legislation that sought to prohibit abortion on the basis of the race or gender of the baby, as well as voting against legislation that would have required health care practitioners to provide the same medical care to babies born alive after an abortion as they would to any other baby born at the same gestation.
In January 2023, as Governor of Minnesota, he signed a bill into law that was described by pro-life group Susan B Anthony List as the “most extreme abortion bill in the country”. He also voted against the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, which aimed to restrict abortion after 20 weeks.
Biography
Tim Walz is the Governor of Minnesota, elected to the role in 2018, after having been a congressman in the House of Representatives since 2007.
Before his time in public office, Walz served in the National Guard. He later obtained his teaching degree in 1989 and taught first in China, then Nebraska and finally in Minnesota, where he taught geography and coached the high school football team. He first ran for office in 2006 and won. He successfully ran for governor in 2018, defending the seat again in 2022. In 2024, he was nominated as Democrat US presidential hopeful Kamala Harris’ vice presidential running mate.
Abortion legislation
According to reports, during his time in the House of Representatives, Walz voted against almost every single piece of pro-life legislation.
- November 2009 – Walz voted against an amendment prohibiting federally funded abortion services
- October 2011 – Walz voted against the Amends Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act “to prohibit federal funds from being to used to cover any part of the costs of any health plan that includes coverage of abortion services”.
- May 2012 – Walz voted against the Prenatal Nondiscrimination Act (PRENDA), which aimed to prohibit abortions based on the race or gender of the unborn baby.
- July 2012 – Walz voted against the District of Columbia Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, which aimed to prohibit abortion after 20 weeks.
- January 2014 – Walz voted against the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act.
- January 2015 – Walz voted against the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act of 2015.
- September 2015 – Walz voted against the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, a bill that required health care practitioners to provide the same degree of care to a baby born alive after an abortion as would be provided to any other baby born at the same gestational age, and to transport and admit the baby to a hospital.
- July 2016 – Walz voted against the Conscience Protection Act of 2016, which prohibits the government from penalising healthcare providers that decline to cover abortions.
- October 2017 – Walz voted against the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, which aimed to restrict abortion after 20 weeks.
- While sitting in the House of Representatives, Walz was a member of the Pro-Choice Caucus, a coalition of the House of Representatives working to preserve, protect, and advance women’s constitutionally protected reproductive rights.
In January 2023, as Governor of Minnesota, Walz signed the Protect Reproductive Options (PRO) Act. This act establishes a “fundamental right to continue the pregnancy and give birth, or obtain an abortion”. The Act does not establish any time limit on the exercise of this right. The Act also prevents local governments from restricting access to abortion. This law was described by pro-life group Susan B Anthony List as the “most extreme abortion bill in the country”.
On passing this legislation, Walz said “No matter who sits on the Minnesota Supreme Court, this legislation will ensure Minnesotans have access to reproductive health care for generations to come. Here in Minnesota, your access to reproductive health care and your freedom to make your own health care decisions are preserved and protected”.
Public statements on abortion
Walz’s numerous public statements on abortion are consistent with his voting record and reflect his strong pro-abortion stance.
In June 2018 at a Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL) convention, Walz said “My record is so pro-choice, Nancy Pelosi asked me if I should tone it down”.
In October 2022, Walz posted on X “I’ve been absolutely clear on this: There will never be an abortion ban on my watch”. He also posted “Minnesotans are unified heading into November and ready to ensure that our state doesn’t go backwards. Because as long as I’m governor, I’ll protect abortion and reproductive right”.
In July of the same year, Walz boasted that he was “working to protect abortion rights”.
As part of inaugural remarks in 2023 when sworn in as Governor for a second term, Walz said “Let’s protect the right to choose when to start a family by codifying access to abortion — once and for all”.
Walz as VP
With the current Democratic Party platform (manifesto) firmly supporting “reproductive health care services, including safe and legal abortion” alongside a commitment to “restore federal funding for Planned Parenthood”, and Harris’ track record of abortion advocacy, it is highly likely that Walz will continue to advance his abortion extremist agenda across the US to the fullest extent possible.
Our team has also undertaken a ‘deep dive’ on Kamala Harris (available here) and Donald Trump’s VP pick, JD Vance’s past activity on the abortion issue (available here).
