Tuesday, January 06, 2026
Gov. Walz steps back
Imagine that the local high school assistant football coach was the governor-- that's pretty much what having Tim Walz as governor here in Minnesota has been like (as I wrote on CNN here). For the most part, that has been a very good thing, and I've been very impressed with his performance as governor. Certain, he and others (the feds who funded the program, most notably) could have done a better job of mandating stronger oversight of COVID- era programs, but that is one of many facets of his job.
The one I got to see most directly was his work as the chair of the state's Pardon Board, which (until 2023) held hearings to hear personally from every petitioner for a commutation or pardon. He was excellent at the job-- personable, engaged, direct, and he treated both victims and petitioners with respect and dignity.
One thing I especially admired was his genuine conflict in some cases-- he really felt both sides of the issue, and was torn. It was very human and honest, and led to fascinating discussions with other members of the Board (the AG and Chief Justice). Particularly in contrast with his predecessor, there was no doubt that he cared, and that propelled a lot of good outcomes, both ways.
