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By Clay Masters, Minnesota Public Radio News

It’s been 40 years since Minnesota was a central player — more than just another state name on a convention floor signpost — for Democrats at their quadrennial party gathering.

In 1984, native son Walter Mondale grabbed the party nomination for president at the Democratic National Convention in San Francisco. He entered to a rendition of “Gonna Fly Now” — the theme song from the movie “Rocky” — and addressed jubilant delegates, with those from Minnesota seated up close.

“You may have heard of me, but you may not really know me,” Mondale, the former vice president, U.S. senator and state attorney general, told the convention audience. “I grew up in the farm towns of southern Minnesota.”

This week in Chicago, another southern Minnesota politician, Gov. Tim Walz, will get a national introduction to voters.

It’s been something of a blur for Walz already — not even two weeks after he shot into the picture as the running mate of Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris.

The current vice president stood beside Walz for the ticket’s debut in Philadelphia on Aug. 6. Harris touted Walz’s time in Minnesota’s top office, in Congress, the military and as a high school teacher and football coach.

“In 91 days the nation will know coach Walz by another name, Vice President of the United States,” Harris said to applause.

Before politics, Walz and his wife, Gwen, taught at Mankato West High School. He credits students for encouraging him to run for Congress and he leans heavily into that time in the classroom and on the football field.

“For nearly twenty years I had the privilege of teaching high social studies and coaching football; including winning that state championship,” Walz said from the stage in Philadelphia.

The campaign has little time to introduce this relatively unknown governor to voters. The convention in Chicago will be a huge part of that and many speakers will be building him up. Last week in St. Paul, a group of his former students gathered at the state Capitol.

The 22 former students were excited and almost giddy that the country is meeting their old teacher.

“Some of us were in band, choir, sports, national honor society together. Some of us were one of Hope Walz’s top favorite babysitters,” said Richelle Wiechmann-Norton, class of 1999. “Gwen and Tim impacted all of us. They showed us the values of inclusivity and collaboration.”

One of the former students, Dan Clement, told reporters Walz being on the ticket changed how he was planning to vote in November.

“A lot of the other stuff that I may not agree with, gets thrown out the window when it comes to coach Walz,” said Clement, a self-identified third-party voter. “That man did a lot for me in my life, and I owe him the support that he’s going to get from me.”

Democrats hope these kinds of stories resonate with voters who might see a teacher or coach in Gov. Walz that they had in school — especially in the crucial blue wall states of Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan.

The party also hopes more progressive voters will look to his policy record as governor, one that Republicans regard as too liberal for America.

As Democrats hold their convention, GOP figures are out in force focusing on how Walz has handled his job, from his response to the COVID pandemic to the riots following the murder of George Floyd.

Republican House Minority Leader Lisa Demuth has raised concerns about the millions of dollars in fraud in state government that’s been uncovered through legislative audits that highlighted administration oversight gaps.

“This falls squarely on the shoulders of our governor,” Demuth said. “He has got to take responsibility, if those in his administration and the commissioners that he has hand selected are not willing to take responsibility then he needs to.”

Walz faces more than just Republican critics at home.

About 200 pro-Palestinian protesters showed up at the Minnesota State Board of Investment meeting last week. They were trying to push Walz, who was not there, to divest the state’s assets from Israel and weapons manufacturers.

“We must not condone in Israel what we vehemently condemn in other countries,” said Stacey Gurian-Sherman. “There is nothing more gross than what is going on in Israel to know this is going on and not use your authority to stop it is weird.”

Minnesota is sending 11 uncommitted delegates to the convention as well – out of 93 overall. They’ll represent those who voted against President Joe Biden in the March primary election for his stance on the Middle East. Biden left the race last month under considerable party pressure over the 81-year-old’s ability to do the job four more years.

Minnesota’s uncommitted delegates are not yet fully behind Harris, the replacement nominee, and will be working to push for a new foreign policy within the convention halls.

“We want to apply more pressure,” said Minnesota uncommitted delegate Asma Mohammed. “Almost a million voters who are being left out right now and who may not show up to the polls, if our demands are not met.”

Therein lies the challenge for Democrats heading into a party convention with fractures just below the surface. They’re riding a new wave of enthusiasm but have more work to do to turn that summer surge into votes in November.

Walz hopes to fare better than the Minnesotan in the national ticket spotlight four decades ago. The one led by Democratic nominee Mondale fell to a landslide defeat, winning only his home state in a rout by Republican President Ronald Reagan.