WINONA, Minn. – The choice of Governor Tim Walz by Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris as her running mate generated lots of thoughts. A sampler:
> Tom Emmer, MN-6 Congress member, a Republican: “He embodies disastrous economics, open-borders, and soft-on-crime policies.”
> William Garcia, chair, Wisconsin Democrats: “His policies are popular – paid family leave, universal school lunches, automatic voter registration, red flag laws for guns.”
> Mike Johnson, speaker of U.S. House, a Republican: “Kamala Harris and Tim Walz are the most radical left-wing ticket in American history.”
> Karoline Leavitt, news secretary, Trump campaign, a Republican: “A West Coast wannabe trying to reshape Minnesota in the image of California.”
> Gene Pelowski, MN-26A legislator from Winona, a Democrat: “The most experienced politician that we Minnsotans have had running for high office since Hubert Humphrey.”
> Scott Sherman, Winona mayor: “A governor who can understand both sides of the political spectrum.”
>Derrick Van Orden, WI-3 member of Congress, a Republican: “Walz blew a $17.5 billion surplus in four months, raised taxes by $10 billion and increased government spending by almost 40%, gave illegal aliens free driver’s licenses.” (Fact check: Four months misleading, 40% misleading.)
> Jim Worthley, chair, Winona County Democrats: “Really interested in doing good for general people.”