Walz family suffers from bitter rift amid Minnesota governor's VP run

Recent years have been characterized by a heightened degree of political polarization, even within the closest of families, and during the current election cycle, even those seeking high office are not immune from the strain.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, running mate of Democratic Party presidential nominee Kamala Harris, has been contending with critical comments from his brother, Jeff Walz, about his ideology and professional past, as the New York Times reports, and it now seems clear that the VP hopeful is content to leave his sibling to his opinions, familial relationships be damned.

Deep rift exposed

The trouble in the Walz family began to emerge last month when Jeff Walz weighed in on his brother's selection as Harris' vice-presidential pick, as the New York Post noted at the time.

Jeff Walz declared himself squarely in opposition to the Minnesota governor, at least politically speaking, saying, “I'm 100% opposed to all his ideology.”

“The stories I could tell. Not the type of character you want making decision about your future,” Jeff Walz said of his newly famous brother, to whom he has not spoken in more than eight years.

Though he had been urged by supporters of President Donald Trump to take a public stand in support of the Republican ticket, Jeff Walz expressed some lingering reluctance, despite the clear hostility he feels toward his brother.

“I've thought long and hard about doing something like that! I'm torn between that and just keeping my family out of it,” he said.

Trying to keep the peace

In a scenario that is all too familiar to millions of Americans with familial disagreements in the realm of politics, Darlene Walz, mother to both Tim and Jeff, has reportedly done her best to stay above the fray, as the Daily Beast reports.

Darlene Walz, 89, told the outlet, “I want to keep peace with all of them.”

A Democrat all her life, Darlene Walz explained that she is hopeful that her son Tim, together with Harris, will prevail in November, but that is not to say that she intends to wade into the difficulties between her sons.

Maintaining positive relationships with both sons, Darlene Walz mused, “I think the best thing maybe, for me, is to just stay out of it.”

It is a sad -- but true -- state of affairs in America these days that in far too many instances, families continue to be torn apart by ideological splits they feel are simply too vast to bridge, and the Walz clan is apparently no different.