Minnesotans are sharply divided in their opinions on Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) Governor Tim Walz, according to the latest polling data.
Interesting zoom in on 2020 protests: Majority of voters in Hennepin/Ramsey counties, where much of the fires/looting/broader unrest and damage occurred, gave Walz positive marks for handling of the situation.
Double digit drop in other burbs/Greater MN https://t.co/M4FggIIx6b pic.twitter.com/tyBl3KgoT0
— Torey Van Oot (@toreyvanoot) September 24, 2024
With Governor Walz now running for vice president alongside Kamala Harris, public sentiment regarding his time in office reveals a polarized electorate. The poll, conducted between September 16 and September 18, 2024, among 800 likely Minnesota voters, found that 53% approve of Walz’s performance as governor, while 44% disapprove.
Independent voters, in particular, tend to view Walz unfavorably. Among those who do not identify with either major political party, slightly over half expressed disapproval.
New MN poll: Walz fav/unfav among likely voters in his home state is 48%-47%. https://t.co/M4FggIIx6b pic.twitter.com/bJUKOytxXO
— Torey Van Oot (@toreyvanoot) September 24, 2024
The poll shows Minnesotans divided almost equally on whether they view Walz favorably in his campaign for vice president, with 48% holding a favorable opinion and 47% an unfavorable one.
Walz’s counterpart, Republican Sen. JD Vance, is similarly polarizing: 91% of Democrats view him unfavorably, while 93% of Republicans hold a favorable view. Independent voters are split on both figures, with Walz’s unfavorable ratings being slightly higher.
Day 2 of the Minnesota Poll from MPR News/@kare11 and @StarTribune. The poll looks @Tim_Walz favorability ratings. 48% have a favorable view of Walz compared to 47 percent who have an unfavorable opinion of him. Mixed reviews of Walz in crisis situations. https://t.co/xKZu7TSaKl
— Cathy Wurzer (@CathyWurzer) September 24, 2024
Looking back at crucial events during Walz’s tenure, opinions are mixed.
More NEW poll results from the September Minnesota Poll via @MPRnews' @bydanaferguson: https://t.co/mZmydGOQvJ
For detailed results on what Minnesotans think about Gov. Tim Walz, Lt. Gov. Flanagan & House control, see: https://t.co/dPAMvKkZGk by @APMResearch's @egawthrop
— Craig Helmstetter (@c_helmstetter) September 24, 2024
Minnesotans divided on governor’s tenure
The poll revealed that 52% approve of his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, whereas 46% disapprove.
Meanwhile, his response to the protests and riots after George Floyd’s murder garnered 44% approval and 52% disapproval. Supporters commend Walz for his leadership during challenging times. “I think he did as good a job as could be expected,” said Bill Engels of St.
Louis Park. Charles Dolson, a Bemidji attorney, praised Walz, saying, “He did a phenomenal job as governor.”
However, critics view his tenure less favorably. “We had a riot on the George Floyd situation and he did nothing about it,” said Wayne Charles of Kenyon, who considers Walz to be the poorest governor in his lifetime.
Opinions on Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan, who would succeed Walz if he is elected vice president, remain largely unknown. Nearly half of the respondents (47%) said they were unsure about their opinion of her. The findings on Walz’s tenure and other political figures come from interviews conducted with 800 likely Minnesota voters.
The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.
