What to know about Tim Walz's views and political record before the VP debate

Washington- Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz went from relative obscurity to coinage a line of attack against Republicans and become Democrats Vice presidential candidate within a few weeks this summer.

His political career began in 2006 when he was elected to the House of Representatives from a conservative district bordering Iowa, South Dakota and Wisconsin. But since becoming governor in 2019, he has taken a more liberal stance on a number of issues.

Here's a look at where he stands on several important issues The VP debate on Tuesdayhosted by CBS News:

Tim Walz's views and experiences on abortion and IVF

As governor, Walz signed legislation codifying abortion rights in 2023, making Minnesota the first state to do so after the Supreme Court overruled Roe v. Wade had picked up. The legislation also protects access to contraception, fertility treatments, sterilization and other reproductive health care.

Walz and his wife Gwen spoke out about their own fertility issues after the Alabama Supreme Court ruled earlier this year that frozen embryos created through in vitro fertilization (IVF) are legally children. The ruling opened the door to possible wrongful death claims if an embryo did not survive the process.

“If you have never experienced the hell that is infertility, I guarantee you that you know someone who has,” Walz said in his speech at the Democratic National Convention in August. “I remember praying every night for a phone call, the sinking feeling in my stomach when the phone rang, and the absolute agony when we heard the treatments hadn't worked. It took me and Gwen years.”

The couple eventually welcomed their daughter Hope Intrauterine insemination treatmentsalso known as IUI.

The Israel-Gaza War

The vice presidential nominee echoed Vice President Kamala Harris' stance on the war in Gaza and supported Israel's right to defend itself after Hamas attacked the U.S. ally on October 7, while acknowledging the suffering of Palestinians.

Israel has “the right to defend itself, and the United States will always stand by that, but we cannot allow what happened in Gaza to happen. The Palestinian people themselves have every right to life and freedom,” he said in early September. “It is a humanitarian crisis. She can't stay the way she is. And we must find a way for people to live together in this crisis, and we have said it and we continue to say it and conclude a ceasefire with the.” “The return of the hostages and the subsequent move towards a sustainable two-state Solution is the only way forward.”

Gun control

Walz, who once had an “A” grade from the NRA, took several votes to expand access to firearms during his six terms in Congress. At that time he represented a district.

“I grew up hunting and spent 24 years in the Army National Guard,” Walz said in 2010. “I know how important Second Amendment rights are to the people of southern Minnesota. “I’m proud to stand with the NRA to protect our Second Amendment rights, and I’m truly grateful for their support.”

He began softening his stance against an assault weapons ban in 2012 after the Sandy Hook school shooting that killed 20 children and six adults.

“The right balance must be struck between the constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens and the safety of all Americans,” he said of a possible legislative solution.

Walz took a more liberal stance on gun control when he ran for governor of Minnesota. He criticized the NRA, writing in the Minnesota Star Tribune: “It is the single greatest obstacle to passing the most basic measures to prevent gun violence in America.” He also said he supports a ban on assault weapons.

As governor, he signed a law requiring background checks for gun transfers and a “red flag” law that allows law enforcement to take away someone's gun if there is a risk of hurting themselves or someone else with a firearm.

The economy

In 2023, Minnesota's $17.5 billion budget surplus benefited Walz and the Democratic-controlled state legislature Funding their prioritiesincluding free school meals for all students from kindergarten to high school. Democrats also passed legislation that would provide tax breaks and credits for low- and middle-income families, such as a $1,750 child tax credit to lift children out of poverty, while also reducing taxes on foreign corporations and the To increase capital gains for wealthy taxpayers.

When Walz became governor in 2019, Minnesota's unemployment rate was 3.3%. It peaked at 11.2% in May 2020, two months after the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the state's unemployment rate is now at pre-pandemic levels but has increased in recent months.

However, Minnesota's economic growth has been slower than national growth. According to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, the state's inflation-adjusted gross domestic product — which measures the total value of goods and services — rose 1.6% in 2023. US GDP increased by 2.9% in 2023.

immigration

In Congress, Walz voted for a bill that would ban Syrian and Iraqi refugees from entering the United States unless they passed strict background checks. As governor, Walz welcomed refugee resettlement in Minnesota, saying the state had “a strong moral tradition of welcoming those seeking refuge.”

“The inn in Minnesota is not full,” he wrote in a 2019 letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

Minnesota is home to large Somali, Karen, Hmong and Liberian populations.

In 2021, Walz called on Democrats in Congress to find a path to citizenship for essential workers, “Dreamers” and immigrants with temporary protected status and their families.

Last year, he signed a bill making undocumented immigrants eligible for driver's licenses in Minnesota.

“Given the estimated 81,000 undocumented immigrants in Minnesota, the bill will increase safety across Minnesota by ensuring all drivers have a license, insurance, and have taken driver education courses,” a press release said.

Under Walz's leadership, undocumented immigrants in Minnesota were also able to enroll in the state's public health insurance program for low-income residents and apply for free college tuition.

CBS News will host the only scheduled vice presidential debate between Vance and Walz on Tuesday, October 1, at 9 p.m. ET on CBS and CBS News 24/7. Download the free CBS News app for live reporting, post-debate analysis, comprehensive fact-checking and more.