Tim Walz is at it again, this time pushing his anti-Electoral College agenda during a cozy little fundraiser at Gavin Newsom’s California mansion. Because, of course, there’s no better place to complain about the Electoral College than in a liberal stronghold where the popular vote reigns supreme. Walz made it clear that he believes the Electoral College needs to go, though he threw in the typical politician’s line, “That’s not the world we live in.” Translation: “We don’t have the political muscle to actually make this happen, but let’s keep pretending it’s possible.”
Walz didn’t stop there. He rattled off a list of places Democrats need to win, like Beaver County and York in Pennsylvania, along with western Wisconsin and Reno, Nevada. It’s almost as if he’s finally realized that it’s not just about winning the coasts, but about actually connecting with voters in the heartland. But let’s be real here, if the popular vote was the only game in town, places like Beaver County would be about as relevant to national politics as a pothole in the middle of nowhere.
This isn’t Walz’s first rodeo in the anti-Electoral College arena. Back in May, he put Minnesota on the path to joining the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact. The plan’s genius idea? Ignore the actual election system in favor of giving the presidency to whoever wins the most votes nationwide. Never mind the fact that this little scheme only kicks in if enough states sign on. So far, just 17 states and D.C. are on board. They need a majority of electoral votes, but they’re still well short of the 270 needed to scrap the Electoral College.
Of course, Democrats love to cry about the Electoral College because, let’s face it, they haven’t won the popular vote in quite some time—except for those rare occasions when a candidate like George W. Bush managed to pull it off in 2004. Even Nikki Haley, who had a brief moment in the 2024 GOP race, pointed out that the GOP has lost the popular vote in seven of the last eight presidential elections. But hey, those pesky swing states keep deciding elections, and that’s the part they can’t stand.
Despite Walz’s handwringing, there’s not exactly a groundswell of support for gutting the Electoral College. Sure, a Pew Research Center poll showed that 63% of voters would love for the popular vote winner to take the presidency. But when you dive into the political reality, it’s a whole different story. Changing the Constitution to get rid of the Electoral College? That’s about as likely as Gavin Newsom switching parties. Even Walz knows the public’s wish for it isn’t enough to make it happen.
