Walz's Buttigieg Endorsement Is a Deliberate Snub of Harris Amid a Broader Democratic Push Against Her
Source: https://www.facebook.com/americanspectator/. "Tim Walz Turns Against Kamala and Embraces This Candidate | The American Spectator | USA News and Politics." October 28, 2026. spectator.org
The Gist
The author argues that when Tim Walz said Democrats should 'Pick Pete Buttigieg,' he was effectively taking a shot at Kamala Harris, who had said the country wasn't ready for a gay vice president. She sees this as part of a growing pile-on against Harris from fellow Democrats, and says Walz wouldn't back her if she ran again.
Conclusion
By telling Democrats to 'Pick Pete Buttigieg,' Tim Walz has turned against his former running mate Kamala Harris and joined a wider Democratic effort to sideline her, and he would not support her if she ran again.
Premises
- Harris's 107 Days sharply criticized Walz's 2024 debate performance, which many Democrats blame for her loss, and it strained their relationship.
- Many Democrats blamed Harris's choice of Walz as running mate for the loss, and Harris has done little to counter that narrative.
- Harris wrote that Buttigieg was her first choice but that she judged America too homophobic to elect a gay vice president, a claim that drew attacks from fellow Democrats.
- Many Democrats (20 sources told Politico, a former governor, donors) do not want Harris to run again and see her as a recycled, undefined candidate.
- Asked for advice for the future of the party, Walz said 'Pick Pete Buttigieg,' which sides with the man Harris said America was not ready for and whom many criticize her for not selecting.
Assumptions
- Walz's remark was a pointed response to Harris rather than a sincere, independent preference for Buttigieg
- Endorsing a rival of Harris's, even implicitly, signals opposition to her potential candidacy
- Walz's statement about the party's future implies he is rejecting Harris as that future
- Criticism of Harris in her book and from Democrats reflects a coordinated 'campaign' rather than independent, unrelated criticism
- Walz's comment can be read as a reference to Harris's claim about Buttigieg even though he did not mention her