Ahead of Tuesday’s presidential debate and less than two weeks before early voting begins, Minnesota’s Democratic leaders are keeping their focus on the former president and abortion rights.
Despite Gov. Tim Walz’s nomination as the Democrats’ vice presidential candidate, almost all the talk at a Monday news conference by Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter and DFL Party Chair Ken Martin was focused on the conservative Heritage Foundation’s “Project 2025,” a collection of policy proposals the think tank wants to see enacted if former President Donald Trump is reelected, and the possibility that abortion would be banned nationwide.
Flanagan said policies like abortion bans are already being enacted in some parts of the country.
“Half the women in this country do not have access to safe, legal abortions,” she said. “We know that because they are coming here.”
The combative tone was a marked contrast to the “politics of joy” chord that Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign has sought to strike, especially since Walz joined the ticket.
“It is happening right now and we don’t have to wait until day one” of a second Trump administration, Flanagan said.
Tayler Rahm, a senior adviser to Trump’s campaign in Minnesota, said he also expected to see a marked contrast between Harris and Trump.
“I think people tomorrow are going to watch two completely different candidates,” Rahm said Monday.
