Supporters of former President Trump and his campaign are targeting Vice President Harris’s running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (D), branding him as “Tampon Tim” due to a bill he signed last year. This legislation mandates that all public schools in the state provide free menstrual products in restrooms, including those used by boys.
The Minnesota law, which took effect on January 1, requires that menstrual products like pads and tampons be made available in restrooms frequented by students from grades 4 through 12, in accordance with a plan devised by each school district.
Governor Tim Walz (D) of Minnesota, known as “Tampon Tim,” signed a bill last year that led to this nickname
Republican lawmakers in the state opposed the measure at the time, attempting to restrict the requirement to girls’ bathrooms only, but they were eventually unsuccessful in altering the bill.
Following the announcement of Walz as Harris’s vice-presidential pick, Trump campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt quickly criticized the governor on Fox News for his support of the law.
“As a woman, I find leaders who advocate for gender-transition surgeries for minors and for placing tampons in boys’ restrooms to be a serious threat to our well-being,” Leavitt stated, describing Walz’s stance as “radical.”
Trump’s main super PAC, Make America Great Again Inc., also attacked Walz in a new campaign ad, characterizing him as a “weird radical liberal” for endorsing such legislation and other policies they consider extreme. However, LGBTQ rights organizations applauded Harris’s choice of Walz, highlighting his commitment to equality and inclusion.
Last year, Walz issued an executive order establishing Minnesota as a sanctuary for transgender minors seeking gender-affirming care, as well as a safe haven for individuals seeking abortion services and their healthcare providers.
Conservative commentator Liz Wheeler shared a doctored image of Walz on social media, superimposing his face on a tampon box and calling him “Tampon Tim.” Stephen Miller, a former adviser to Trump, also criticized Harris’s selection, posting on social media, “She actually chose Tampon Tim.”
