Photo by Derek Redd Former Democratic vice presidential candidate and current Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz talks to those in attendance at a roundtable Monday at the United Steelworkers of America Local 1238 Union Hall in Martins Ferry.

MARTINS FERRY — Former Democratic vice presidential candidate and current Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz expects the policies of President Donald Trump to fail, and he believes it is now up to Democrats to engage the electorate and formulate “better alternatives.”

“We are in trouble, and that is what happens when you lose elections,” Walz told those gathered at the United Steelworkers union hall in Martins Ferry Monday. “Why do people across the country not believe we’re with them or care where they’re at?”

Those are important questions, as winning an election is a means to an end, he continued.

“You got to win the election so you can do things to improve people’s lives,” Walz said. “We came up to a critical election when at least a majority of folks said this guy (Trump) can do better.

“Obviously, he can’t, and we’re seeing that. I think a majority of people in this room now are trying to figure out how did we lose them?”

Walz in recent days has been on a tour of cities in Northeast Ohio, including Youngstown and Lorain.

Following the vice presidential loss, he said he circled seven states on map with a goal of engaging the electorate in those states. He added people have been asking why he is doing that as Republicans have opted not to have town hall meetings with their constituents.

Walz indicated that going before the electorate is exactly what Democrats should be doing at this time.

“We can’t heal America if we leave Ohio out,” Walz continued. “We can’t heal America if we leave Montana out. We can’t heal America if we say we’re never going to win in Florida. We’ve become a party isolated on that, and we focus every four years on getting people out to tell them that.

“These ideas talked about here (in the union hall) today — 80% of the electorate agree with them, maybe more. The only people who can find fault with what is being said up here is only if you’re a billionaire and you’re not paying your taxes or you don’t give a damn about your neighbor.”

His question now to Democrats is: “What do you want to see the party do next?”

“When Sen. (Cory) Booker stood up there for 25 hours, he at least gave people some hope we could do something about it,” Walz said. “Folks in the Ohio Valley — they’ve told us we’ve lost them and we’ll never get them back. We don’t believe that’s true because of the moral values we believe in.”

The first question asked of Walz was how Democrats should speak with people “who are impervious to the facts.”

He noted you have to be careful about “writing people off.”

“They (Trump supporters) are feeling the pain of what is happening right now,” Walz explained. “Their parents are going to need Social Security. They probably have a kid who is on an IEP (individualized education plan) in school. They might lose their federal jobs. All of those things are happening.

“I think we have to do a better job of connecting A to B about why these things matter. I think as Democrats, if we are going to believe government can make a difference we should make ourselves more accountable. We should get out there and talk to people about it.”

He believes in the past many union members voted Democrats because they believed Democrats to be fighting for them.

“This idea is no longer there,” Walz continued.

He thinks many people have lost faith in the Democratic party, and it is up to leaders to convince voters to come back.

Walz explained that during much of his tenure as Minnesota’s governor, Democrats held a one vote majority in the Legislature.

“You know what you call a one–vote majority in the Legislature? A majority,” he continued. “You pass things like free breakfast and lunch in school, and paid family medical leave.

“Those were instant. That was fast, and people recognized this.”

He said Democrats have always championed patience, and have told people it would take a while to reform government programs like the healthcare system.

“The thing we should learn from Donald Trump is that we should move recklessly fast to make sure healthcare is (OK),” Walz said.

He noted Democrats need to convince the electorate that they are on their side and wait for Trump’s policies to be unsuccessful.

“(We need to convince them) Donald Trump is terrible and is going to fail,” Walz said. “Then we can provide a better alternative.”

Walz, a former member of the U.S. House, said when he first decided to run for governor in Minnesota he knew he would have to win some Republican districts in the state. It was suggested he turn to another Democrat and former member of Congress, former Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland, for advice.

Strickland was among those welcoming Walz to Martins Ferry on Monday.

“Today we are privileged to have with us one of the great national leaders who understands people like us,” Strickland said of Walz. “He cares about people like us. “He has been a coach and a teacher, and I love teachers. Teachers and public education are under assault.

“Americans fell in love with this guy because we knew he understood. He is helping to lead the fight. We are in trouble in this country, but we’re not hopeless because we have power.”

Barb Larue and Teddie Grogan, co–presidents of the Ohio County Democratic Women organization, presented Walz with one of the shirts the group has been wearing during their recent protests locally. The shirt states, “Democrats care: that’s what we do.”

They also gave him one of the red bandanas they pair with the shirt, and explained its significance as red bandanas were worn by coal miners during the labor–union mine wars in Matewan, West Virginia.

Others speaking during the event were Rick Altman, vice president at large for the United Mine Workers of America; John Saunders, District 1 staff representative for the United Steelworkers; Ron Green, vice president with the local letter carriers union; Jason Perlman, political director for the AFL–CIO, Ryan Weeks, charter member for the Belmont County Young Democrats; and Mel Woods representing the UMWA.

“We’re fighting for America,” Saunders said. ‘We’re fighting for middle class jobs. We’re fighting for labor, but we’re fighting for Americans and every single person who doesn’t deserve the attack we’re getting today.

“And listen… here’s a message (to the Trump administration). Don’t you dare cut Social Security and Medicare. If you think (protests) are bad today, they’re going to get worse.”