Tim Walz: Democrats 'have no idea how to get stuff done,' needs to reorganize, move forward
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz called for a shift in Democratic Party values and making concrete changes during a meeting of South Carolina Democrats on May 31.
Thousands of voters and political leaders crammed into the Goodman Building at the state fairgrounds to hear Walz at the South Carolina Democratic Party convention, a two-day event in Columbia.
The convention started with the Palmetto Blue Dinner on May 30, where Maryland Gov. Wes Moore was the featured speaker.
More: Gov. Tim Walz to headline South Carolina Democrat convention
More than 1,700 delegates representing each of South Carolina's counties attended this year's convention to strategize and get energized for future elections. Greenville County had 180 delegates at the convention.
Walz was welcomed with a standing ovation on the convention's second day.
Walz was catapulted onto the national stage after running for vice president in 2024 alongside the party's presidential nominee, then-Vice President Kamala Harris.
He has since emerged as a leader in the national Democratic Party and has been touring the country speaking at town halls in Republican-leaning congressional districts.
South Carolina Democratic Party Chair Christale Spain introduced Walz onto the convention stage, where he was greeted with cheers and energetic applause from the crowd.
He started off by saying it is essential for the Democratic Party to reorganize. He said the party is losing support by electing people who don't turn ideas into action when they get into office.
'Democrats, we have no shortage of good ideas,' Walz said. 'But when we get into power, we have no idea how to get stuff done.'
He said it is important for the party to move forward after a loss in the 2024 presidential race and come back stronger for the midterms next year.
'This is a moment,' Walz said. 'This is a moment not just to win the election. This is a moment to transform back to the Democratic Party.'
South Carolina earned the nickname 'First in the South,' which means it is often the first Southern state to hold its presidential primary.
Charles Morris, the third vice chair of the Greenville County Democratic Party, said that this makes South Carolina an important player in the presidential race, particularly in former President Joe Biden's 2020 win.
Biden swept the South Carolina Democratic Presidential Primary race in 2020, which gave him momentum leading into Super Tuesday as he competed against Bernie Sanders.
'We can't look at it that South Carolina is a red state,' Morris said. 'South Carolina can vault candidates to the presidency.'
He said that it is important for the state's Democratic Party to focus on bringing in young voters who may have stayed home or voted Republican in the 2024 election.
Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-South Carolina) also spoke during the convention and called for Democrats to put in the work right now to flip more seats.
'We are going to have to start that change this year,' Clyburn said. 'We cannot wait until next year.'
Spain ran unopposed for the state party's top office and will stay in her leadership role for another two years.
She said her focus over the past two years has been on getting more Democratic candidates to win seats in smaller elections, like city council and school board races.
'We've got work to do, and I am going to stay the course,' Spain said. 'I am going to lay it all on the line.'
Jaime Harrison, a former Democratic National Committee chair and South Carolina native, said he wants to see more Democrats run for office in the Palmetto State.
'To every single Democratic county party in this room,' Harrison said, 'my charge to you is to recruit a Democrat to run in every single race. Leave not one race uncontested.'
Laura DiSabatino is originally from Pennsylvania but moved to South Carolina. This was her first time attending the state's Democratic convention as a Greenville County delegate.
'I felt like it was time for me to get involved,' DiSabatino said. 'Bringing us together is the most important part of this.'
In one of the last speeches of the day, State Rep. Jermaine Johnson (D-Richland) said he has assembled an exploratory committee and is considering a run for governor.
Johnson said he wants to hear from South Carolinians first to gauge their feelings about him running for office.
'I've gotten calls from Democrats nationwide about considering this opportunity,' Johnson said. 'I don't want to do anything or make any rash decisions without hearing from the people of South Carolina.'
More: Judge denies bond for Greenville County resident accused of threatening congresswoman
While no one has officially filed to enter the race, U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace (R-South Carolina) hinted at a possible run for governor several times, including at a bond hearing for a Greenville County resident accused of threatening her online.
Gov. Henry McMaster, who has been in office since 2017, ends his second and final term in 2026.
Bella Carpentier covers the South Carolina legislature, state, and Greenville County politics. Contact her at bcarpentier@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Tim Walz to SC Democrats: 'This is a moment to transform' party
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