Vice President Kamala Harris's campaign is facing mounting scrutiny after revelations surfaced about her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, falsely claiming his children were conceived through in vitro fertilization (IVF). This disclosure comes on the heels of earlier controversies over Walz’s military record, further complicating Harris's efforts to rally voters in her presidential bid.
Walz, who has repeatedly cited his family’s fertility struggles as a personal connection to reproductive healthcare issues, was found to have misrepresented his use of IVF. In speeches across the country, he mentioned that his children were born thanks to IVF treatments, aligning himself with voters concerned about potential restrictions on reproductive technologies. However, it was revealed that Walz and his wife, Gwen, actually used intrauterine insemination (IUI) to conceive their children, a less controversial procedure than IVF, which involves the creation and sometimes destruction of embryos.
Unbelievable. Another lie from lying Walz!
Tim Walz claimed multiple times that his children were conceived thanks to IVF treatment.
CNN reporting today that Gwen Walz never underwent IVF treatment. pic.twitter.com/0BqqNEsTW6
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) August 20, 2024
The Harris campaign quickly attempted damage control. Mia Ehrenberg, a spokeswoman for the campaign, defended Walz’s statements, explaining that he was using IVF as a shorthand for fertility treatments. Yet, critics from both sides of the political spectrum have accused Walz of deliberate dishonesty. "Who lies about something like that?" asked Republican vice-presidential nominee J.D. Vance.
This is not the first time Walz’s credibility has been questioned. Earlier in his career, he faced accusations of exaggerating his military service. While campaigning for governor in 2018, Walz claimed to have carried weapons "in war," despite never being deployed to a combat zone during his 24-year tenure with the Army National Guard. His assertion that he retired as a command sergeant major, the highest rank for enlisted personnel, was also debunked. Walz had actually retired as a master sergeant, a rank below the command sergeant major.
Stolen Valor Tim Walz lies so much that I wouldn't be surprised if in his next speech he claimed he survived an assassination attempt in Pennsylvania. pic.twitter.com/PKoyWcxB2j
— JD Vance (@JDVance) August 21, 2024
Republicans have seized on these revelations to question the Harris-Walz ticket’s integrity. "Lyin’ Tim," as some conservative commentators now call him, has become a symbol of what they describe as the ticket's lack of credibility. "It’s no wonder the American people don’t trust them," remarked Karoline Leavitt, a spokeswoman for former President Donald Trump’s campaign.
The timing of these scandals could not be worse for Harris. With her poll numbers trailing behind Trump's and key debates looming, the revelations about Walz are proving to be a significant distraction. Political analysts warn that such controversies could undermine her ability to connect with voters on important policy issues, particularly around healthcare and veterans' affairs, areas where Walz was supposed to be an asset.
Moreover, Walz’s misleading statements about his fertility treatments are hitting particularly close to home in light of recent political battles over reproductive rights. Earlier this year, the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that embryos created through IVF could be legally considered children, a decision that added fuel to the ongoing national debate over abortion and reproductive healthcare. Walz had positioned himself as a defender of IVF and reproductive freedoms, using his supposed experience as a rallying point. Now, that narrative appears to have backfired, casting doubt on his authenticity.
The Harris campaign has tried to move past the issue, focusing instead on broader topics like the economy and national security. However, Republican operatives have made it clear they will not let Walz's deceptions go unnoticed. As political strategist Doug Heye put it, "Tim Walz telling whoppers isn’t what’s going to sway voters," but it does contribute to the perception that the Harris-Walz campaign is out of touch and dishonest.
