Critics slam Harris VP pick for comparing socialism to ‘being a good neighbor’

Minnesota’s Democratic Gov. Tim Walz faced backlash on social media for equating socialism with “neighborliness” during a call with “White Dudes for Harris” on Monday night.

Walz urged Democrats not to shy away from progressive values, stating, “One person’s socialism is another person’s neighborliness.”

The comment sparked criticism from conservatives on Twitter, with Manhattan Institute senior fellow Ilya Shapiro calling it “weird,” in light of recent Democratic attacks against GOP candidate JD Vance and former President Trump.

Journalist Karol Markowicz also weighed in, saying, “Neighborliness killed members of my family.”

Conservative commentator Ryan James Girdusky added to the fray by sarcastically saying, “One person’s gulag is another person’s vacation home.”

In response, former Minnesota gubernatorial candidate Mike Murphy criticized Walz for his handling of the Minneapolis unrest, while National Review’s Jim Geraghty joked, “Send this guy to campaign in South Florida.”

Walz, who is rumored to be a potential VP pick for Kamala Harris, faced further backlash from American Majority CEO Ned Ryun, who accused the governor of equating socialism with neighborliness.

Nate Madden, an adviser to Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, also chimed in, stating that taking people’s belongings at gunpoint does not make one a good neighbor.

With speculations about his VP candidacy swirling, it was reported that Harris is expected to make her decision by next week regarding her running mate.

Former Obama adviser David Axelrod praised Walz for running a strong campaign for the VP slot, even if he doesn’t ultimately make the cut.