Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who is now Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate, is facing renewed scrutiny over a drunken driving arrest from 1995 in Nebraska. At the time of the incident, Walz was a 31-year-old teacher who was stopped for driving 96 mph in a 55-mph zone. He failed field sobriety tests and had an alcohol level of 0.128%, over the legal limit of 0.10%. Walz pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of reckless driving and lost his license for 90 days, as well as being fined $200. He subsequently quit drinking alcohol after the arrest.
The incident resurfaced during Walz’s political campaigns in 2006 and 2018. During the 2006 campaign for Congress, court documents were surfaced by a Republican blogger, but it did not become a major issue. In 2018, when Walz ran for governor, the incident was mentioned in a broader profile by a local newspaper. Walz reflected on the incident as a gut-check moment and an impetus to change his ways. His campaign spokesperson at the time falsely claimed that the DUI charge was dropped because it wasn’t true, attributing his failure in the field sobriety test to his hearing loss from his service in the National Guard.
Following the announcement of Walz as Harris’ running mate, the incident has garnered renewed attention as Republicans and media outside Minnesota began to scrutinize his past. It was revealed that his campaign staffers in 2006 had provided misleading information to news outlets, suggesting that the DUI charge was dropped due to his hearing loss. However, the court records did not mention any ear issues and showed that he was taken to jail by the trooper. Walz underwent ear surgery in 2005 to remedy his hearing loss. The Harris-Walz campaign did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the incorrect information provided by his former campaign staffers.
Despite the renewed scrutiny over his past arrest, Walz has remained steadfast in his commitment to staying sober and has since replaced alcohol with Diet Mountain Dew as his beverage of choice. The incident from 1995 has not affected his political career, as he successfully ran for Congress in 2006 and for governor in 2018. Walz has emphasized the need for accountability and learning from mistakes, using his own experience as an example for his students. The aftermath of the incident serves as a reminder of the consequences of drinking and driving, and Walz’s personal journey in overcoming his past mistakes.
