Walz says "Electoral College needs to go," but campaign says that's not its position
CBSOCT 9 2024
Tim Walz Calls for Abolition of Electoral College
Above: Tim Walz during the first vice presidential debate at the CBS Broadcast Center in New York, US, on Oct. 1, 2024. Image copyright: Al Drago/Contributor/Bloomberg via Getty Images
The Facts
Minnesota governor and Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz on Tuesday said that the US needs a "national popular vote" and that the "Electoral College needs to go."
During a campaign fundraiser in California governor Gavin Newsom's Sacramento home, Walz reportedly suggested he didn't have to focus on key swing states and would prefer to win votes from across the country.
Teddy Tschann, a spokesman for Walz, said that the nominee's opinion about the Electoral College isn't an official Harris-Walz campaign position and that he was only mulling how to win the 270 electoral votes needed for the White House.
The Spin
Narrative A
The Electoral College is an outdated system that undermines the principle of one person, one vote. It disproportionately favors smaller states and enables candidates to win the presidency without securing the popular vote. Abolishing it would ensure that every vote carries equal weight, and would force candidates to campaign nationwide, not just in a handful of swing states.
Narrative B
The Electoral College, a system born of compromise, remains vital to reflecting America's diverse landscape in the nation's democracy. It prevents densely populated cities from dominating elections, ensures rural and suburban voices are heard, and forces candidates to campaign nationwide.