Minnesota governor Tim Walz has been selected as Democratic presidential frontrunner Kamala Harris’s running mate, and Democrats are rallying around the VP candidate.
Walz Takes Center Stage as VP Hopeful
Tim Walz has captured national attention since being announced as Kamala Harris’s Vice Presidential pick in the 2024 election. Those backing the ticket have praised Walz for his “dad energy,” as well as his fierce support for LGBTQ+ youth and women’s rights.
Walz Describes Personal Fertility Struggles
In a recent speech to supporters at a Philadelphia rally, Walz described his battle with infertility, explaining the devastating impact it had on him and his wife. After walking through “years of fertility treatments,” Walz and his wife of thirty years, Gwen, were able to have their daughter with the help of in vitro fertilization.
Praying For a Call
“I remember each night praying that the call was going to come and it was going to be good news,” Walz said. “The phone would ring, tenseness in my stomach, and then the agony when you heard the treatments hadn’t worked.”
IVF’s Variable Success Rates
For people going through IVF, many factors influence the chance of success. Many patients require several rounds of treatments before they have a successful pregnancy, and some people never get that far.
Reproductive Rights Battled Nationwide
Walz’s testimony comes at a critical time as women’s reproductive rights in the United States are the subject of political battles around the country. In February, some Alabama fertility clinics stopped providing IVF services due to a Supreme Court ruling that determined embryos had the same rights as children.
IVF Embryos Scrutinized
The ruling sparked concerns that IVF processes, which cannot guarantee the survival of embryos at any stage, could be subject to criminal and legal proceedings. The court ruled that embryos were covered under the Wrongful Death of a Minor Act in Alabama.
Right-to-Life Laws
Arizona and Missouri also have laws giving embryos certain rights under the belief that life begins at conception, which could complicate IVF treatments and put patients at risk.
Walz Asks For Empathy For IVF Patients
Walz said he understands that IVF is not a method of family building that everyone would choose for many reasons, but urged people to leave other people’s family and medical decisions alone.
Mind Your Business
“Even if we wouldn’t make the same choice for ourselves, there’s a golden rule,” Walz said. “Mind your own d**m business. Look, that includes IVF.”
A Champion For Abortion Rights
IVF access isn’t the only reproductive right Walz is passionate about. After the Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade in a historic blow to women’s rights, Walz swiftly enacted protections in his state to ensure abortion services would remain available in Minnesota. Walz was the first U.S. governor to codify abortion rights in his state.
“Your Rights Are Protected”
“The message that we’re sending to Minnesota today is very clear,” Walz said at the time. “Your rights are protected in this state. You have the right to make your own decisions about your health, your family, and your life.”
Walz Extends Healthcare to Neighboring States
Walz also reached out to residents of neighboring states that imposed strict anti-abortion laws, welcoming them to Minnesota if they should need reproductive healthcare that their state did not allow.
“Minnesota Is and Will Remain a Safe Haven”
“To our neighbors in Iowa: Minnesota is and will remain a safe haven for reproductive freedom,” he said in an online post.
Harris Campaign Goes After JD Vance
On the globally recognized World IVF Day, July 25th, Kamala Harris’s campaign released a statement calling out Republican Vice Presidential candidate JD Vance for his well-documented opposition to reproductive freedoms.
Vance’s Fight Against Reproductive Rights
In the message, the campaign accused Vance of “insulting couples struggling with infertility, demeaning women’s choices and their freedoms, and reminding voters about his and Donald Trump’s anti-IVF Project 2025 agenda.”
Walz Weighs in on Vance
Walz shared the statement from the Harris campaign, adding personal thoughts to the message that reminded supporters of his own personal history with the issue. Walz also specifically named JD Vance in his online message.
“Someone You Know” Has Struggled With Infertility, Walz Says
“Even if you’ve never gone through the hell of infertility, someone you know has,” Walz wrote. “When Gwen and I were having trouble getting pregnant, the anxiety and frustration blotted out the sun.”
“A Direct Attack on My Family”
“JD Vance opposing the miracle of IVF is a direct attack on my family and so many others,” Walz concluded.
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Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / lev radin.
