On August 6, 2024, Kamala Harris announced Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate in the 2024 presidential race. Since then, netizens and Democratic Party supporters alike have sparked interest and curiosity about the VP pick and whether he is a fan of music icons Taylor Swift and Beyoncé.
Various netizens and supporters have thoroughly examined Governor Tim Walz's online presence on X (formerly Twitter), uncovering evidence of his appreciation for Taylor Swift and Beyoncé's music. While netizens speculate that he is part of the artist's fan community, Walz hasn't claimed the same, officially.
Timothy James Walz is an American politician who was a former schoolteacher and a retired non-commissioned officer in the United States Army. He has been serving as the 41st governor of Minnesota since 2019 and has been chair of the Democratic Governors Association since 2023.
Exploring Tim Walz's appreciation for Taylor Swift and Beyoncé
Since Kamala Harris announced him as her running mate on Tuesday, there has been considerable interest in exploring Walz's personal preferences. His affiliations with these fan communities have been noted as part of this broader examination of his interests.
Walz's interest in Taylor Swift's music is evident as on November 18, 2022, he posted on X suggesting that his cat named Afton was unhappy as he did not get Taylor Swift's concert The Eras Tour ticket.
"Afton after being online all day and not getting Taylor Swift tickets," Walz wrote on X.
Later on, Tim Walz shared another post on X on June 23, 2023, suggesting his cat Afton was convinced and celebrated Taylor Swift Day in Minnesota.
"After a little bit of convincing, Afton's come around and is proud to celebrate Taylor Swift Day in Minnesota," he captioned the tweet.
He posted it along with a proclamation from the State of Minnesota, which suggested that Minnesota fans would remember Taylor Swift's Eras Tour in Minnesota. The post ended with Walz proclaiming June 23 and June 24 as "Taylor Swift Days."
"NOW, THEREFORE, I, TIM WALZ, Governor of Minnesota, do hereby proclaim Friday, June 23, and Saturday, June 24, 2023, as: TAYLOR SWIFT DAYS in the State of Minnesota," Walz wrote.
Moreover, in May 2024, Tim Walz signed a piece of legislation referring to the Taylor Swift bill, officially named HF1989. Rep. Kelly Moller introduced this bill in response to widespread issues with ticket purchases for major events. The legislation aims to increase transparency and fairness in the ticketing process. Walz said:
"This is about fairness in how we go about ticketing. It's protection, so you don't get a fraudulent ticket. The resellers can't snatch them all up before you get an opportunity to do it."
Additionally, Tim Walz has not only designated specific days to celebrate Taylor Swift but also proclaimed Thursday, July 20, 2023, as Beyoncé Day in Minnesota on X. This declaration was made in honor of Beyoncé's performance at Huntington Bank Stadium during her tour stop in the state.
"I might be Governor of Minnesota, but we all know who runs the world. Welcome to Minnesota, Beyoncé!" he wrote on X.
In addition to appreciation for Taylor Swift and Beyoncé music, Tim Walz also shared a glimpse of his other music preferences. On December 29, 2023, Walz shared a picture on X of four vinyl records he got at Minneapolis' Electric Fetus.
The vinyl included Steve Winwood's Arc of a Diver, Genesis' Duke, Warren Zevon's Bad Luck Streak in Dancing School, and the Moody Blues' Long Distance Voyager.
While Walz's social media posts and declarations have led to netizens speculating that he may be a member of the Swiftie and Beyhive music communities. However, the Minnesota Governor has not addressed this publicly.
The United States presidential elections will be held on Tuesday, November 5, 2024.