Tim Walz’s Own Hometown Voted for Trump

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BLUE EARTH COUNTY, Minn. — You would think if a local guy was running for Vice President of the United States, the entire community would rally behind the hometown candidate.

That’s not what happened on Tuesday in Tim Walz’s hometown district.

President-elect Donald Trump narrowly won Blue Earth County, Minnesota, the longtime home of Democratic vice presidential candidate Gov. Tim Walz, in a tight race that underscored a challenging night for Democrats in the 2024 presidential election.

Trump captured 49.6% of the vote in the county, edging out Vice President Kamala Harris’s running mate, Walz, who received 48.3%. The loss struck close to home for the Minnesota governor, who lived in Blue Earth County for 20 years and launched his political career there, representing the area in Congress for over a decade.

The result in Blue Earth County came as a symbolic blow to Walz, who had introduced himself to the nation in August at the Democratic National Convention as Harris’s running mate. Reflecting on his roots in the region, Walz shared stories of his time teaching social studies and coaching football at Mankato West High School, experiences he said fueled his passion for public service. “It was those players and my students that inspired me to run for Congress,” Walz said during his convention speech.