Walz announces Ocasio-Cortez as potential House speaker during Twitch gaming livestream
ST. PAUL, Minn. — In an unconventional outreach to young voters, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz joined Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Twitch Sunday, where the two played Madden NFL and discussed their political strategy. Walz, the Democratic vice-presidential candidate, made headlines by stating he would back Ocasio-Cortez as the next Speaker of the House if his ticket wins the election.
The stream, which had a modest viewership, started with Ocasio-Cortez running the session solo for about 30 minutes before Walz joined in wearing a camouflage Minnesota Vikings cap. Walz, a former high school football coach, appeared comfortable navigating the game, mentioning that he had played Madden with his children in the past.
During the game, the conversation quickly turned to politics, where both Walz and Ocasio-Cortez took aim at former President Donald Trump and emphasized the significance of solidifying Democratic control of Congress. “We don’t all share the same politics, we don’t all share the same views, but the need to defeat Trump this year has been my number one priority,” Ocasio-Cortez said during the stream.
At one point, Walz told Ocasio-Cortez, “We’re gonna win this election. We’re gonna make you put a gavel in your hand in the House.” The declaration seemed to solidify a clear commitment from the potential Harris-Walz administration to elevate Ocasio-Cortez’s leadership role.
The livestream event, which aimed to reach younger voters, is part of a broader effort by Democratic candidates to engage demographics that are active on platforms like Twitch. Ocasio-Cortez, who is familiar with the space, has previously utilized gaming to reach new audiences, while this marked a notable entry for Walz.
The two continued gaming and speaking about their priorities, with Walz hinting that a Harris-Walz administration would seek to eliminate the Senate filibuster, further drawing attention to their political agenda.
As Walz prepared to leave for a campaign rally in Nevada, the exchange underscored the Democrats’ attempt to leverage unconventional platforms to appeal to a digitally-savvy electorate.