GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — To a crowd of supporters at the Grand Rapids Public Museum Thursday night, vice-presidential nominee Tim Walz says, "The presidency of the United States and the future of our democracy could very well go right through this room in Grand Rapids. That's how important Michigan is."
Michigan matters.
It’s a notion we’ve heard and seen this election cycle, with campaign stops to West Michigan now, officially, from all four candidates at the top of both the Democratic and Republican presidential tickets.
Thursday night, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, and new right hand to Kamala Harris, campaigned in Michigan, marking his second trip to the state since becoming the nominee, and first to Grand Rapids.
Friday morning, Walz continued his stay, stopping by the office of the Kent County Democratic Party to give brief remarks, while cheering on supporters and coaching up volunteers — even answering a few phone calls.
"Every inch, every yard, every bit of what we gain is done in rooms like this," Walz tells supporters.
After working the room, he met FOX 17 in a different room, to talk exclusively one-on-one.
"Kamala Harris has a vision of a way forward that impacts Middle Americans."
Part of that vision, Walz says, is about restoring hope. "Whether that's the ability to own a home, whether it's keeping caps on prescription drugs, or it's making sure that those everyday things like groceries are more affordable, and doing it with a sense of 'all of us are in this,' a sense of hopefulness in our politics."
From gas to groceries, Walz says his ticket aims to create an “opportunity economy.”
"I think, as you're sitting out there in Michigan, say, 'Look, I kind of want to be left alone. I want to do my job. I want to keep as much of my money as I can. I want good public schools, good roads. I want to be safe in my community.' That's the opportunity economy."
As the governor explains, that starts with support, like providing up to $25,000 toward down payments for first-time home buyers. "For most of us, the barrier to home ownership, the biggest one is that down payment piece of it."
He adds that Vice President Harris is also aiming to incentivize builders to construct 3 million new starter homes, while working with local leaders to make it easier to permit new construction.
When you’re ready to grow your family, they’re proposing an expanded child tax credit with a $6,000 tax cut in the first year of a newborn’s life. "The child tax credit, it makes families easier to have children, make sure there's food on the table, make sure they have backpacks when they go to school."
We’ve heard it time and again — the concerns over the high price of feeding your family. As Walz puts it, farmers are not getting paid enough for their crops — alleging "somebody in the middle has taken more than they should on this."
Right now, 37 states, including Michigan, have anti-price-gouging laws on the books. Kamala Harris and Tim Walz are proposing a federal ban, outlawing price gouging in all 50 states.
"Kamala Harris is siding with folks right in the middle, folks who go every day to make an honest day's work and should be paid an honest day's salary," says Walz.
We also asked Governor Walz about the uncommitted vote, which spurred during the presidential primary as a movement to “Abandon Biden” over his handling of the war between Israel and Hamas.
On Thursday, the organization rebranded as “Abandon Harris,” calling for people to either vote third party or for no one at all.
Walz maintains that Harris is the person to help achieve a two-state solution that protects Israel and Gaza while also helping get the hostages back.
As the countdown to Election Day continues and the spotlight remains on Michigan, Tim Walz has a message for Michiganders:
"I think our message here is that our politics don't have to be negative, and America has always taken on the toughest challenges. So I think being here, I'm feeling that energy. I'm feeling people are getting engaged; they're picking up the phone; they're talking to their neighbors and feeling really hopeful about it."
WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW HERE:
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