TW
Tim Walz
DemocratGovernor of Minnesota| Age | 62 (b. 1964-04-06) |
| Gender | Male |
| In office since | 2019-01-01 (~7 yrs) |
| Race / ethnicity | White (non-Hispanic) |
| Religion | Lutheran (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America); raised Catholic |
| Education | BS, Social Science Education, Chadron State College (1989); MS, Experiential Education, Minnesota State University Mankato (2002); attended University of Houston (East Asian studies) and Saint Mary's University of Minnesota (EdD program, incomplete) |
| Prior occupation | High school social studies teacher and football coach (Alliance, NE; then Mankato West High School, MN, 1996–2006); co-director of Educational Travel Adventures (student trips to China) |
| Military service | Yes: U.S. Army National Guard (Nebraska, then Minnesota) (Master Sergeant (retired); attained Command Sergeant Major during service but did not complete required coursework to retain that rank at retirement) |
| Birthplace | West Point, Nebraska |
| Languages | English; some Mandarin and Cantonese (limited proficiency from teaching in China 1989) |
| Marital status | Married — Gwen Walz (née Whipple) |
| Children | 2 |
| Residence | Minnesota Governor's Residence, 1006 Summit Avenue, Saint Paul, Minnesota |
Pending research: notable relatives · openly lgbtq.
Career & politics
| First elected | 2006 |
| Previous offices | U.S. Representative, Minnesota's 1st Congressional District (2007–2019) |
| Caucuses | Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus (Co-chair) · National Guard and Reserve Component Caucus (Co-chair) · Congressional Veterans Jobs Caucus (Co-chair) · Congressional EMS Caucus (Chair) · LGBT Equality Caucus · Congressional Arts Caucus · Congressional-Executive Commission on China |
| Leadership | Ranking Member, House Committee on Veterans' Affairs (2017–2019) · Chair, Democratic Governors Association (2023–2024) · Co-Chairman, Council of Governors (2021) |
| Ideology | More liberal than 61% of the 115th House, and more conservative than 87% of Democrats (VoteView/DW-NOMINATE); described as holding both moderate and progressive stances; 7th-most bipartisan House member in 114th Congress |
| Signature legislation | Protect Reproductive Options Act (MN, 2023) — codified abortion access · Alec Smith Insulin Affordability Act (MN) — emergency insulin assistance · Cannabis legalization (HF 100, MN, 2023) · Universal free school meals (MN, 2023) · Police Accountability Act including chokehold ban (MN, 2020) · Driver's licenses for undocumented immigrants (MN) · Free college tuition for low-income families (MN, 2023) · Carbon-free electricity by 2040 standard (MN) · Universal gun background checks (MN) |
Financial
Net worth: disclosed $115,000–$330,000 (2024) · estimate
| 2030 Target Date Retirement Fund | fund · $100,000–$250,000 · 2024 |
| Vanguard Midcap Index Fund | fund · $0–$15,000 · 2024 |
| State Street Short Term Investment Fund | fund · $0–$15,000 · 2024 |
| Bank account (cash) | other · $15,000–$50,000 · 2024 |
Top donors: National Education Association PAC ($67,450 (career congressional total)) · American Federation of Teachers ($60,000 (career congressional total))
Top industries: Education (teachers unions) · Labor unions · Agriculture · Veterans/military organizations
Scandals & crimes ledger
resolved — 1995 DUI Arrest and Guilty Plea to Reckless Driving (Nebraska)
On September 23, 1995, Walz — then a 31-year-old high school teacher — was stopped near Chadron, Nebraska for driving 96 mph in a 55-mph zone. The state trooper detected alcohol on his breath; a blood test showed a BAC of 0.128%, above Nebraska's 0.10% legal limit at the time. He was arrested and charged with DUI. In a March 13, 1996 plea hearing, the DUI charge was reduced to reckless driving in exchange for a guilty plea. Walz paid a $200 fine and served a 90-day license suspension. His 2006 congressional campaign initially and falsely told reporters he had not been drinking that night, but court transcripts document his admission of drinking. Walz has since publicly acknowledged the incident and states it led him to quit drinking entirely.