Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz had to cast one of the toughest votes of his career back in 2010.
It was his second term in the House of Representatives, and Walz beat a six-term Republican, becoming only the second Democrat to represent Minnesota’s rural 1st Congressional District since the 1890s. But he took that risky vote in order to help pass the Affordable Care Act, President Barack Obama’s landmark health care legislation that Republicans have been trying to kill ever since.
Walz’s district was decidedly red and he had a few Blue Dog-like moments, though he didn’t join that problematic caucus of conservative Democrats that gave Obama so many headaches, as longtime readers of Daily Kos will remember.
Many of those headaches were related to the Affordable Care Act and prompted by the surge of the so-called tea party, a “grassroots” movement created and funded in large part by the billionaire Koch brothers and big oil. But the conservative faction was powerful—and it had plenty of swing-district Democrats scared to support the Affordable Care Act. When the House initially passed Obamacare on Nov. 7, 2009, 39 Democrats voted no.
Walz was not one of them. When the final version of the bill came back from the Senate on March 21, 2010, Walz voted with the majority of Democrats again, passing the historic bill.
Here’s how he explained his vote to expand health insurance coverage to every American.
Middle class families in southern Minnesota want to visit their doctor and get the care they need without insurance company or government control. They want hassle free coverage they can count on and they want peace of mind knowing that if they get sick, they will not have to worry about insurance companies dropping them.
For the past three years, I have traveled around southern Minnesota hearing from folks about how we can improve our health care system. Those who have shared their stories with me are honest, hard working people. They do not want a handout or special treatment. They just want a fair deal. One of those folks is Sheila Wieser. When Sheila’s son, Michael, got sick with a rare liver disease, she just wanted to be able to get him the care he needed to get well. Michael was kicked off his parents insurance when he graduated college and because he had a pre-existing condition, no insurance company would give him coverage. By the time Sheila was able to get Michael any help at all, his disease was too advanced and he died. No mother should ever have to experience that and if this legislation had been passed years ago, Michael might still be with us today.
When it came to casting the toughest vote during that Congress, Walz put his constituents first, and voted for their best interests. It was a risk, and the vote did some damage with voters: In 2008, he won his House seat by a nearly 30-point margin. That margin of victory shrank to just 5 points in 2010.
Since becoming governor of Minnesota, Walz’s record on health care policy is impressive. For two years in a row, WalletHub has ranked Minnesota as the best state in the nation for health care based on 44 key indicators including cost, access, and health outcomes.
Under Walz’s leadership, the North Star State had record enrollment in ACA plans. More than 146,000 Minnesotans purchased coverage through the health care exchange for 2024—a 13% increase over 2023—and 60% of people enrolled are saving an average of $6,460 per year on health insurance thanks to premium tax credits.
“In his time as governor, he has fought to preserve the Health Care Access Fund, which provides healthcare access to 1.2 million Minnesotans,” Healthnews wrote. “He also signed a bill increasing protections for seniors in assisted living facilities, effectively championed legislation to increase transparency in prescription drug costs, and signed the Alec Smith Insulin Affordability Act, which capped insulin prices.”
Walz signed a sweeping reproductive rights bill in January 2023, codifying the state’s existing abortion protections. He followed that up in April 2023 by enacting three more bills, making Minnesota a safe haven for people from other states seeking abortions and gender-affirming care, as well as banning anti-LGBTQ+ conversion therapy in the state.
Walz’s compassion for and commitment to the people he represents are reflected in his record of fighting for health care for everyone. On top of that, he’s just a genuinely good and normal guy.
Our health will be in safe hands with Harris and Walz. Let’s get them to the White House. Donate now!
