ST. PAUL, Minn. —As feathers flew, Tim Walz accepted the symbolic presentation of a turkey Tuesday as he eases again into his duties as Minnesota’s governor following the Harris-Walz ticket’s defeat within the presidential election.
Not like the Minnesota-grown turkeys that President Joe Biden pardoned on the White Home on Monday, Walz didn’t pardon this turkey, he mentioned, “as a result of in Minnesota we all know turkeys are scrumptious.”
The 41.8-pounder (19 kilograms) named Tom was raised by Paisley VonBerge, a Future Farmers of America chief from Hutchinson, and it’ll star in her household’s Thanksgiving dinner. It flapped its wings and shed feathers as she hoisted it onto a show desk however rapidly calmed down, oblivious to its destiny.
“After right this moment, this hen will return to my farm to be loved the way in which that turkeys are supposed,” Paisley mentioned.
“That could be very Minnesotan,” Walz added to loud laughter. “We don’t conceal the very fact we love our turkeys.”
Minnesota produces extra turkeys yearly than another state. Its farmers raised 38.5 million birds in 2023, in line with U.S. Division of Agriculture statistics, adopted by North Carolina at 29 million. North Carolina edged Minnesota final 12 months in complete poundage, producing simply over 1.07 billion kilos (485 million kilograms), in contrast with simply over 1.05 billion kilos (467 million kilograms) for Minnesota.
The ceremony within the governor’s reception room was the primary time Walz had met with reporters on the state Capitol since final summer season, earlier than Vice President Kamala Harris picked him as her operating mate.
Whereas Walz has held non-public conferences in current weeks with employees, legislative leaders and different public officers, interviewed potential judicial appointees, and fielded some press questions, he’s nonetheless ramping again up with public occasions. He mentioned Tuesday that he had no regrets about agreeing to run — and is proud he did.
The Walz-Harris ticket obtained over 74 million votes to just about 77 million for President-elect Donald Trump. Whereas Walz mentioned that reveals that many People preferred the message he and Harris put out, he acknowledged it was “not fairly sufficient.”
“I used to be simply glad to be on the market, and to be sincere, glad to inform Minnesota’s story — that we get issues carried out collectively and we’re fairly hopeful folks,” he instructed reporters.
Walz is already getting ready for the upcoming legislative session, when he and his fellow Democrats must share energy with Republicans — a distinction with the final two years once they loved the “trifecta” of controlling the governor’s workplace and each the state Home and Senate.
Whereas Democrats stored their one-vote majority within the Senate, recounts that wrapped up Monday confirmed that the Home shall be tied 67-67 when lawmakers convene Jan. 14, barring profitable court docket challenges that might be filed in a couple of races.
That’s going to power compromises if lawmakers are going to move a balanced finances earlier than the session ends in Could. However Walz mentioned they proved energy sharing might work in 2019, when Republicans managed the Senate and Minnesota was one of many few states with a divided Legislature.
“We’re going to have some alternatives to proceed to maneuver within the optimistic route we’ve gone,” Walz mentioned.
By Steve Karnowski