Months after a disastrous election cycle for Democrats, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (D-MN) is acknowledging the failures of the Harris-Walz campaign, particularly in its media strategy and voter outreach.

In an interview with Politico, Walz admitted that the campaign took a cautious approach, avoiding media engagements and missing opportunities to connect with voters.

Walz pointed to the limited time the campaign had following Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the race four months before the election, but suggested that they should have taken a more aggressive approach rather than limiting media appearances.

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“We shouldn’t have been playing this thing so safe,” Walz told Politico.

“I think we probably should have just rolled the dice and done the town halls, where [voters] may say, ‘You’re full of sh*t, I don’t believe in you.’ I think there could have been more of that.”

The Harris campaign’s media strategy, Walz suggested, reflected a broader pattern among Democrats, who have been reluctant to engage with the press.

He said that instead of playing it safe, the campaign should have recognized that they were never truly ahead in the race.

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“In football parlance, we were in a prevent defense to not lose when we never had anything to lose because I don’t think we were ever ahead,” Walz said.

BREAKING: Tim Walz admits that he never thought he and Kamala Harris were “ahead” of Trump during their 2024 run for the White House, saying, “We were in a prevent defense to not lose.” pic.twitter.com/vUM0uKyBJC

— Leading Report (@LeadingReport) March 8, 2025

While some former Harris aides agreed with Walz’s assessment, arguing that the campaign “put him in a box” and did not effectively use him as a candidate, others disagreed.

Some staffers pointed to his struggles during media appearances, particularly in the vice presidential debate against now-Vice President JD Vance.

One former Harris staffer described Walz’s debate performance as a major liability, citing his difficulty answering questions, particularly on his past travel to China.

“This was a guy who definitely was embarrassed by his flubs, didn’t handle them well, and seemed like there was a never-ending supply of them, so that was part of the issue of getting him out there everywhere,” the former staffer said.

“I don’t look back on that campaign and think that the way we used Walz was a critical error.”

Leading up to the vice presidential debate, Walz reportedly struggled with confidence, with campaign insiders describing him as “in his own head,” “super nervous,” and concerned about letting down the ticket.

His uneven debate performance was widely criticized and raised questions about his ability to handle high-pressure moments on the national stage.

Despite the 2024 defeat, Walz is now considering a presidential run in 2028. When asked about the possibility, he told Politico that he is “not saying no” and remains open to future opportunities.

“I’m staying on the playing field to try and help because we have to win. And I will always say this, I will do everything in my power, and as I said, with the vice presidency, if that was me, then I’ll do the job,” Walz said.

With Democrats struggling to rebuild after their 2024 election losses, Walz’s reflections signal a broader conversation within the party about what went wrong and how to restructure future campaigns.

Whether Walz emerges as a serious contender in 2028 remains to be seen, but his recent remarks suggest he is positioning himself for a role in the party’s future.

It’s actually funny to look back at some of the MSM coverage of Tim Walz versus JD Vance. They tried so hard. 😂 pic.twitter.com/K4w9Ys7NYK

— MAZE (@mazemoore) March 8, 2025