Tim Walz Backs Jerri Green in Address to Nashville Democrats

With Election Day nearing, former Democratic vice presidential nominee and current Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz spoke in Nashville over the weekend, expressing support for Democratic candidates running in Tennessee, including gubernatorial candidate Jerri Green.

Walz was the keynote speaker at the Davidson County Democratic Party fall dinner on Oct. 23, which also featured remarks from Mayor Freddie O’Connell, candidate for Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District Darden Copeland and candidate for 4th Congressional District Victoria Broderick, as well as state House and Senate candidates Mark Proctor and Lindsey Patrick-Wright.

Green introduced Walz, praising his work in Minnesota.

“[Walz’s] career, like mine, has been rooted in public service and in a belief that government should make a difference in everyday people's lives,” Green said.

“In a moment when politics too often rewards division, when too many leaders seem more interested in picking fights than solving problems, it's important that we all hear from people who believe that public service should be about something bigger than themselves.”

Walz expressed his support for Green, as well as the other Democrats running for state and federal elected office in Tennessee.

“You have got candidates that are top-notch here,” Walz said, noting what he called the “clear dichotomy” between Green and Republican gubernatorial candidate Marsha Blackburn.

Walz advocated for policies that have been implemented in Minnesota, such as free breakfast and lunch in public schools, Medicaid expansion and a state-level child tax credit.

“All of those things build a healthy workforce,” said Walz. “All those things are out there, and that's what [the GOP] cannot stand.”

Walz condemned acts of political violence, noting the attacks on Minnesota state lawmakers in 2025, which resulted in the murder of Democratic state House Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband. He went on to criticize the Trump administration’s efforts to crack down on immigration in Minnesota earlier this year, which resulted in protests and multiple deaths.

“[Federal troops] abused our citizens and continuously are trying to arrest me, trying to arrest Ilhan Omar, trying to arrest others because that's what they're doing,” he said. “Because they can't win on policy, they can't win on human life, they can't win on people.”

Walz also encouraged voters to head to the polls and to consider running for office, noting confidence in the younger generation of Americans.

"It's a bit of a zero-sum thing, but the act of going out and running right now, the act of putting yourself out there, the willingness to take it — it is scary right now, but it's also a time to inspire,” Walz said. "This generation, I'm telling you, if we can just hand it off to them, we're going to be just fine.”

Walz took time during his speech to criticize President Donald Trump and other GOP leaders.

“Of all the presidents that have been in office and all the things you can say about [Trump], the one thing is he's the absolute worst at business,” Walz said. “There is no cohesive philosophy. It's about him. It's about the grift for the family. It's about undermining people, and it's about spewing the hatred.”

This article was first published by our sister publication, the Nashville Post.