evidence: Walz, who was reportedly championed by House Democrats and former speaker Nancy Pelosi over Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro, has a long record of supporting LGBTQ+ rights, stretching at least back to 1999 when he was the faculty advisor for Mankato West High School’s first-ever Gay-Straight Alliance. A veteran and former teacher, Walz was elected to the House of Representatives in 2007 and served there until 2019 when he became governor of Minnesota. As The Hill noted in its recent recounting of Walz’s LGBTQ+ policy positions, Walz ran for Congress while openly supporting same-sex marriage, seven years before Minnesota would eventually legalize it. A National Guard veteran, he has also advocated for the repeal of "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell," which barred servicemembers from disclosing their sexual orientation, and as governor he has made Minnesota a refuge for youth seeking gender-affirming care via an executive order issued in March 2023. In April of that year, Walz subsequently signed a law banning the dangerous and harmful practice of conversion therapy.