S.D. Democrats enjoyed Walz at McGovern Day event, but other candidates would make stronger choice in 2028
South Dakota Democrats held their annual McGovern Day fundraising dinner in Sioux Falls on Saturday, July 12. That wouldn't be huge news in itself, but the event drew a crowd of nearly 1000 people (yes, I was in the audience) to hear Gov. Tim Walz, our next-door neighbor from Minnesota and the Democratic vice-presidential candidate in last year’s election.
Walz gave a long, impassioned speech which covered many predictable Democratic themes. He lambasted our former governor and current Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and used the word “bullshit,” which upset the traditional values of some in the audience. Clearly, he is testing the waters for a presidential run in 2028.
He could expect to have strong support from South Dakota Democrats if he does seek the nomination. He pointed out that he grew up just south of Bonesteel in rural north-central Nebraska, crossing the border to hunt, fish and drink beer. He got his first teaching job on the Pine Ridge Reservation before he graduated from Chadron State.
His political career began in 2006, when he made the bold decision as a public school teacher and coach to challenge the incumbent Republican congressman from the district that includes Mankato. Walz won that race, to the surprise of many, and had never lost an election until be signed on as Kamala Harris’ running mate in 2024.
If national Democrats hoped that Walz’s presence on the ticket would help Harris carry Midwestern states, they were disappointed. The ticket only won 52% of the vote in Minnesota, and Illinois was the only other state in the Midwest that they carried. Walz has not said whether he will seek a third-term as governor, but recent polls of Minnesota voters indicate that his approval rating is sinking and he could face some difficulty there.
Walz is 61 years old, and will be 64 by the next presidential election. His white hair makes him look at least his age. Donald Trump and Joe Biden are by far the oldest presidents in American history, and persistent concerns about their cognitive abilities may make American voters eager to pass the torch to a younger, or at least middle-aged, candidate.
Democrats who were disappointed by Harris’ showing in 2024 may be reluctant to get behind Walz in 2028.
In that case, there are many alternative potential candidates who are also lining up and considering their options. California Gov. Gavin Newsom, 57, who was married to Kimberly Guilfoyle when he was mayor of San Francisco, has a powerful base, but all of the perceived sins of California could be hung around his neck in a general election.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, 53, who was the target of a kidnapping and assassination plot by right-wing extremists in her first term, remains broadly popular.
Pete Buttigieg, 43, was the boy mayor of South Bend, Ind., (a smaller city than Sioux Falls) before he served as Joe Biden’s transportation secretary and is a charismatic speaker, but America may not be ready for its first openly gay president.
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, 60, comes from an extremely wealthy family and is clearly testing the waters. He is married to the daughter of Ted Muenster, a top aide to South Dakota Gov. Dick Kneip and the Democratic U.S. Senate candidate against Larry Pressler back in 1990.
Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, 61, is a former astronaut and is married to former Rep Gabby Giffords, who was badly wounded in an assassination attempt. Kelly is a proven vote-getter in a state that used to be reliably Republican.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, 46, has been elected twice in a fairly red state and presents a somewhat moderate image.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC), 35, has served in Congress since 2018, when she defeated a powerful incumbent in the Democratic primary. She has strong support from young people, accentuated by recent exuberant rally appearances with her fellow democratic socialist Bernie Sanders, who is eager to pass the torch to a younger leader on the left flank of the party.
There are some other prospects as well. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, 52, and North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein, 58, both of whom are Jewish, and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, who is Black, are emerging leaders who will have considerable executive experience by the 2028 election.
I had a recent conversation with a popular South Dakota Democrat who told me that his choice for our next presidential nominee would be New Mexico Sen. Martin Heinrich, 53, a longtime promoter of renewable energy whose support for Second Amendment rights has sometimes earned him the support of the National Rifle Association.
At the McGovern Day dinner, some attendees expressed the worry that Donald Trump will not allow Americans to have another legitimate presidential election. After all, when he was campaigning last year, he did tell evangelical Christians that, if they turned out and helped elect him, they would never have to vote again.
Assuming there is an election, and assuming that the Democratic nominee scores a narrow victory, one wonders if JD Vance would exhibit the same integrity and respect for the system that his predecessor Mike Pence showed in certifying the election result. After all, the mob that Trump incited to storm the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, was ready to hang Mike Pence, and Trump himself did not disapprove of that sentiment.
We are living in perilous, unprecedented times, and assuming there is an election three years from now, Democrats need to choose their candidate wisely.
Jay Davis of Rapid City is a retired lawyer and regular contributor to The South Dakota Standard.
Photo: Walz campaigning in 2024, public domain, wikimedia commons
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