Walz accepts turkey presentation as he eases back into his duties as Minnesota’s governor

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — As feathers flew, Tim Walz accepted the symbolic presentation of a turkey Tuesday as he eases back into his duties as Minnesota’s governor following the Harris-Walz ticket’s defeat in the presidential election.

Unlike the Minnesota-grown turkeys that President Joe Biden pardoned at the White House on Monday, Walz didn’t pardon this turkey, he said, “because in Minnesota we know turkeys are delicious.”

The 41.8-pounder (19 kilograms) named Tom was raised by Paisley VonBerge, a Future Farmers of America leader from Hutchinson, and it will star in her family’s Thanksgiving dinner. It flapped its wings and shed feathers as she hoisted it onto a display table but quickly calmed down, oblivious to its fate.

“After today, this bird will go back to my farm to be enjoyed the way that turkeys are intended,” Paisley said.

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“That is very Minnesotan,” Walz added to loud laughter. “We don’t hide the fact we love our turkeys.”

Minnesota produces more turkeys annually than any other state. Its farmers raised 38.5 million birds in 2023, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture statistics, followed by North Carolina at 29 million. North Carolina edged Minnesota last year in total poundage, producing just over 1.07 billion pounds (485 million kilograms), compared with just over 1.05 billion pounds (467 million kilograms) for Minnesota.

The ceremony in the governor’s reception room was the first time Walz had met with reporters at the state Capitol since last summer, before Vice President Kamala Harris picked him as her running mate.

While Walz has held private meetings in recent weeks with staff, legislative leaders and other public officials, interviewed potential judicial appointees, and fielded some press questions, he’s still ramping back up with public events. He said Tuesday that he had no regrets about agreeing to run — and is proud he did.

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The Walz-Harris ticket got over 74 million votes to nearly 77 million for President-elect Donald Trump. While Walz said that shows that many Americans liked the message he and Harris put out, he acknowledged it was “not quite enough.”

“I was just glad to be out there, and to be honest, glad to tell Minnesota’s story — that we get things done together and we’re pretty hopeful people,” he told reporters.

Walz is already preparing for the upcoming legislative session, when he and his fellow Democrats will have to share power with Republicans — a contrast with the last two years when they enjoyed the “trifecta” of controlling the governor’s office and both the state House and Senate.

While Democrats kept their one-vote majority in the Senate, recounts that wrapped up Monday confirmed that the House will be tied 67-67 when lawmakers convene Jan. 14, barring successful court challenges.

House Republicans announced Tuesday that they plan to sue to contest one race, where incumbent Democratic Rep. Brad Tabke, of Shakopee, won his recount by 14 votes, but where Scott County elections officials are still trying to determine what happened to 21 absentee ballots that might be missing.

Even assuming the tie holds up, it’s going to force compromises if lawmakers are going to pass a balanced budget before the session ends in May. But Walz said they proved power sharing could work in 2019, when Republicans controlled the Senate and Minnesota was one of the few states with a divided Legislature.

“We’re going to have some opportunities to continue to move in the positive direction we’ve gone,” Walz said.

Editor’s note: This story was written by Steve Karnowski of The Associated Press.