On the morning of August 6, Kamala Harris announced her long-awaited VP pick – Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. Walz is known as America’s goofy, beloved dad who coined the concept of calling Trump and Vance “weird.” But where does Walz stand on reproductive rights? Let’s get into it.

Walz won the race to Governorship in 2018, and he was re-elected in 2022. Some important context: Roe v Wade (the Supreme Court Case that granted Americans the right to abortion) was overturned in June 2022. In the wake of the Court's decision to overturn Roe, Walz pledged to protect reproductive freedoms in Minnesota. “Reproductive rights are on the ballot in November. The stakes are clear, they could not be higher,” Walz said at a 2022 news conference. “The governor’s office is now the last line of defense against an abortion ban in Minnesota.”

And Walz delivered on his promise. Almost immediately after re-election, Walz signed the PRO Act, a law that guarantees the right to abortion, birth control and other reproductive healthcare for Minnesotans. While abortion was legal in Minnesota, the PRO Act guaranteed it would remain that way. “No matter who sits on the Minnesota Supreme Court, this legislation will ensure Minnesotans have access to reproductive health care for generations to come.”

Under Tim Walz, Minnesota's Reproductive Freedom Defense Act was passed in 2023, reinforcing the state's commitment to protecting reproductive rights. Walz played a crucial role, advocating for the legislation as part of his broader agenda to safeguard and expand reproductive freedoms. The Act aims to protect healthcare providers and patients from legal repercussions related to abortion services, especially in light of restrictive measures popping up in other states. 

After the controversial ruling in Alabama, where frozen embryos were granted the same legal rights as children, Walz spoke out. He emphasized the importance of protecting IVF and the reproductive choices of families. Walz stressed that such rulings could threaten the ability of couples to make personal medical decisions. He has continued to highlight the need for clear and supportive policies around reproductive technologies. The importance of reproductive resources, like IVF, hits home for Walz. Both of his children were conceived with the help of IVF. “It’s not by chance that we named our daughter Hope.”