Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz on Saturday told a packed room of Chicago donors that Democrats are the “underdog” with 17 days until Election Day — as he ramped up his attacks on former President Donald Trump.
The Minnesota governor flew to Chicago, along with his daughter, Hope, for a nearly three-hour visit to stump before top donors in a packed Park Hyatt Chicago banquet room before heading to another campaign reception in Omaha, Nebraska.
The reception came ahead of a high-dollar private fundraiser for the Harris Victory Fund — hosted by Gov. JB Pritzker and MK Pritzker — with former President Barack Obama and Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy on Monday.
Mayor Brandon Johnson also plans to travel to Detroit on Sunday to deliver remarks in support of Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign at three historically Black churches.
Ditching the more casual plaid garb he’s has been wearing to rallies, Walz, in a blazer, no tie and slacks, on Saturday stressed the importance of winning key battleground states like Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan. He vowed that Democrats will win North Carolina.
Still, he told a room full of donors and elected officials: “We’re the underdog.”
“This thing is gonna be close,” Walz said. “That’s the way our country is.”
Walz thanked supporters for funds that are going directly toward supporting campaign efforts in must-win battleground states. And the governor also continued to sharpen his attacks on Trump as he takes on what his campaign has called a “more aggressive” approach to campaigning following his televised debate with Sen. JD Vance, the Republican vice presidential nominee.
“It’s pretty clear the tired, divisive and old rhetoric of Donald Trump matches the tired, divisive and old Donald Trump,” Walz said. “That there is nothing more there. There’s nothing but hate. There’s nothing but division. There is no solution.”
As Harris and Walz try to reach out to independent and undecided voters in TV, radio and podcast interviews, Trump has backed out of two key interviews this month. Walz accused the former president of hiding.
“Where’s Donald Trump?” Walz said. “Look, she and I are one interview away from being regulars on Fox News.”
Walz appeared on “Fox News Sunday” two weekends in a row, seeking to speak to undecided voters.
The Democrat on Saturday told supporters that Trump is “unfit, as somebody said, for any office, let alone the presidency.”
“He’s unfit for the goodness of what this country can be,” Walz said. But the option is he is not going to be president of the United States.”
Illinois Democratic power players met Walz when he arrived at O’Hare Airport, including Johnson, Sen. Dick Durbin, U.S. Reps. Danny Davis, Bill Foster, Robin Kelly, Jan Schakowsky and state Comptroller Susana Mendoza.
Besides the greeters, former Education Secretary Arne Duncan was among supporters spotted at the fundraiser.
Walz is traveling to Michigan, Massachusetts, Connecticut and New York through Monday. The campaign also announced that Harris will join former GOP Rep. Liz Cheney on Monday for events across the suburbs in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan.