Minnesota Catholic Conference Staff Reacts to Governor Tim Walz’s Selection as Vice Presidential Candidate

Acknowledging shared achievements while voicing concerns over positions on life and gender

*The following comments were developed in response to requests from several Catholic media outlets regarding the nomination of Gov. Tim Walz as the Democratic Vice-Presidential Candidate. The questions were similar across the outlets, asking for information regarding his positions on various priorities of Catholic social teaching and our office’s interaction with him. This is not an endorsement and is intended only as a concise description of the facts of our engagement with him, and not an evaluation of his positions or overall record.*

Saint Paul, Minn. – On Tuesday, August 6, 2024, Jason Adkins, Executive Director of the Minnesota Catholic Conference issued the following statement in response to the news of Governor Tim Walz’s selection as the Vice-Presidential candidate for the Democrat Party:

“We congratulate Gov. Walz on his selection as the Democratic Vice-Presidential Nominee and assure him of our prayers.  We are proud to have worked together with him to enact a nation-leading child tax credit and promote the well-being of immigrant Minnesotans.  Yet, we also have had areas of strong disagreement, including protecting the innocent unborn from abortion, the protection of children from the manifestations of gender ideology, and the importance of parental rights in education. In some areas, such as religious liberty, we have appreciated his willingness to hear our concerns and change course. 

As he steps into the national spotlight, Minnesota Catholic Conference remains committed to constructive engagement with him, ensuring that Catholic perspectives are heard and respected at all levels of government.”

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Minnesota Catholic Conference is the public policy voice of the Catholic Church in Minnesota and supports the ministry of our state’s Catholic bishops. Learn more at www.mncatholic.org.