Tim Walz's Favorite Fair Food Is The Epitome Of The Midwest

Tim Walz is Kamala Harris' running mate for vice president in her 2024 bid for the presidency. Walz is many things — he's Minnesota's 41st governor, a veteran, a former schoolteacher and football coach, a father of two — and a diehard corn dog lover.

While the murky origins of the corn dog have been debated since the 1940s, the prevalence of the iconic snack at fairs throughout the Midwest has become ubiquitous. It's not hard to see why Governor Walz, a true Midwesterner who grew up on a farm in Nebraska, has chosen to champion corn dogs as one of his favorite foods. Nebraska and Minnesota are among the top corn producers in the country, and as an advocate in Congress for rural farmers, it's not a stretch to see why savory hot dogs deep fried in a batter of sweet and delicious crispy cornmeal would top his list.

Corn dogs are loved far beyond just America's heartland, but it's at gatherings like the Minnesota State Fair (held since 1855) where they've come to epitomize classic state fair foods. Walz attends the yearly event with his family, and in a 2023 interview with KEYC News about his favorite food there, he proudly proclaimed "I'm a corn dog guy" (via YouTube). To drive the point home, he lifted his pant leg to show that he was wearing corn dog socks, a gift from Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan, which he showed off on his Instagram, noting that she "knows me too well."

At the 2023 Minnesota State Fair, Tim Walz told KARE 11 that he's "an unabashed corn dog fan," and that he knows "it's a bit controversial" (via YouTube). The controversy revolves around the Pronto Pup versus corn dog debate, for which Walz asked people at the fair which side they weighed in on. In a video posted to his Facebook, he confirmed that he's on team corn dog, but that he wouldn't say no to a Pronto Pup either.

Pronto Pups (the proto version of corn dogs) were invented in 1939 in Rockaway, Oregon by a man named George Boyington. Franchising brought the snack to Chicago and, in 1947, to the Minnesota State Fair — the beginning of the treat's Midwest entrenchment. According to MPR News, corn dog batter is made with straight cornmeal, but Proto Pup's is more like a sweeter pancake batter. As Walz explained on his Facebook post, "It's not that I dislike Pronto Pups, but sometimes you just have to decide which is better."

Walz doesn't only have his favorite food when the fair comes to town. As he told KEYC, "I eat corn dogs during the rest of the year. You know, you can air fry 'em; you can do some other things." In fact, you can easily make homemade corn dogs, and the governor's suggestion of air frying is a great alternative to deep frying. For an even easier substitute, simply swap your hot dog bun for cornbread.