Democratic vice presidential nominee Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) capitalized on the recent endorsement from Taylor Swift, telling his Republican challengers that if they mess with cat people, they “will find out.”
Swift endorsed Harris and Walz immediately following Tuesday’s presidential debate. The world-famous singer said she supports Vice President Harris because she “fights for the rights and causes I believe need a warrior to champion them.”
“She’s not here, but let me just say … Vice President Harris and I couldn’t be more excited to have her support. Really grateful,” Walz said at a rally Thursday in Grand Rapids, Mich., highlighted by Mediaite.
Swift signed off her Instagram endorsement “Childless Cat Lady,” as a nod to Trump’s running mate, Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio), who has come under fire for his previous remarks about women who choose not to have children.
“It’s not as if I didn’t warn these guys a few months ago: You mess with cat people, you will find out. You will find out,” Walz said. “They did. Beautiful strategy there, picking on the cat people.”
Vance has previously addressed the criticism about his “childless cat lady” comment, calling it a “sarcastic remark” and criticizing the Democratic Party as being “antifamily” and “antichildren.”
Over the last few months, Walz has quickly made a name for himself in the national political world. He called Republicans “weird,” a strategy that took off among top Democrats on the campaign trail. He later lambasted Vance for his cat comments.
“Go ahead and continue to denigrate people. Go ahead. My God, they went after cat people. Good luck with that,” Walz said in July.
Walz and Harris welcomed Swift’s endorsement, which she announced alongside a photo of her holding her cat.
Directly after the debate this week, Walz was informed about Swift’s endorsement and said he is grateful for her courage.
“I am incredibly grateful, first of all, to Taylor Swift,” he said. “I say that as a cat owner, a fellow cat owner. That was eloquent, and that was clear. And that’s the type of courage we need in America to stand up.”