‘A strategic blunder’: Minnesota megachurch pastor, Samuel Rodriguez denounce Tim Walz VP pick
Hispanic Evangelical leader Rev. Samuel Rodriguez and a Minnesota megachurch pastor have issued a joint statement denouncing the selection of Tim Walz as Vice President Kamala Harris' vice presidential running mate.
In a statement emailed to The Christian Post, Robert Ketterling, author and founding pastor of the multi-campus River Valley Church in Minnesota, and Rodriguez, a California pastor who heads the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, called the Walz selection a "strategic blunder that could spell disaster for her campaign."
The two listed what they said were "five compelling reasons" why Walz "will tank Kamala Harris' presidential candidacy."
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Those include Walz being from a "deep blue" liberal state, his "open borders" view on immigration, his "widely criticized" response to the 2020 George Floyd protests, the lockdown measures he took during the COVID-19 pandemic and his reported alienation of more moderate voters.
"By choosing Tim Walz, Kamala Harris has effectively alienated independent and moderate voters — an electoral demographic crucial for winning battleground states like Pennsylvania, Nevada, Arizona, and North Carolina," wrote Rodriguez and Ketterling.
"Walz has signed laws restricting free speech for pastors, made derogatory comments about conservatives, and embraced socialism — all of which make him an unappealing choice for those in the political center. His lack of likability, often coming across as angry and on the edge of violence, only exacerbates his inability to connect with a broader electorate."
The two pastors argued that "liberal policies, ineffective crisis management, divisive rhetoric, and failure to appeal to independent and moderate voters make him a liability rather than an asset."
"In conclusion, Kamala Harris' selection of Governor Tim Walz as her running mate is a critical misstep," they concluded. "For a campaign that needs to bridge divides and attract a broad coalition of voters, Tim Walz is unequivocally the wrong choice."
On Tuesday morning, Harris selected Walz, a former high school teacher and military veteran, to be her running mate. Harris is the 2024 presumptive Democratic nominee for president after President Joe Biden dropped out of the race last month.
"Tim is a relentless advocate for working families and a battle-tested leader who has cut taxes for working families, protected fundamental rights, and passed paid family and medical leave," Harris stated in an email sent to supporters on Tuesday evening.
"Choosing Tim to be my running mate was not a decision I made lightly — it was important to me to select a candidate with governing experience and a proven track record of getting things done on behalf of their constituents. I know he will bring as much joy to our campaign as he will fight and grit."
Although Walz doesn't discuss his faith often, he has mentioned on social media that he attends Pilgrim Lutheran Church in St. Paul, affiliated with the theologically liberal Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
"The fact that Tim Walz is a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America is right out of central casting," Eastern Illinois University political science professor Ryan Burge tweeted. "11% of Minnesotans are ELCA. The only group that's larger is the Catholic Church. The only two states w/a higher concentration of ELCA are the Dakotas."
David Searcy, assistant professor of political science at Southwestern Oklahoma State University, notes that Walz would be "the first member of the ELCA to hold national executive office."
"He would arguably be the first Lutheran period … depending on how you classify Humphrey," he wrote.
Mollie Hemingway, editor-in-chief of The Federalist, said that she, as a "confessional Lutheran," has been getting many questions about Walz being Lutheran.
"FWIW, Walz is ELCA, an extremely left-wing sub-denomination," she wrote in an X post. "You may be familiar with the ELCA due to some of their congregations using the 'sparkle creed' or hosting drag shows."
