Vice President Kamala Harris’s newly announced running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, recently garnered attention with the passage of the “Taylor Swift Bill.” This legislation, signed into law by Walz during his tenure as governor, was inspired by his own difficulties in securing tickets for Swift’s highly anticipated Eras Tour.
In June, the 60-year-old Governor signed House File 1989—named after Swift’s birth year and iconic album—at the First Avenue concert venue in downtown Minneapolis. The law aims to increase transparency and protection for individuals purchasing tickets online for concerts, sporting events, and other live events in Minnesota.
The new law requires ticket sellers to disclose all fees upfront and prohibits resellers from selling multiple copies of the same ticket. It applies to tickets purchased in Minnesota or other states for events held within Minnesota. The bill emerged from Walz’s frustration over not being able to buy tickets for Swift’s 2023 concert in Minneapolis.
Discussing the law’s importance, Walz stated, “Protection so you don’t get a bad ticket, a fraudulent ticket, and resellers can’t snatch them all up before you get an opportunity.”
In 2022, Walz shared his disappointment on Instagram about not securing Swift tickets, posting a photo of his cat Afton snarling with the caption: “Afton after being online all day and not getting Taylor Swift tickets.”
Social media users quickly dubbed Walz a “Swiftie VP,” with one X user proclaiming, “SWIFTIE VP!! TICKETMASTER COUNT YOUR DAYS BABYYYYY!!!!!!!!” Another user recalled, “Remembering when @GovTimWalz signed our nation-leading ticket integrity bill (Taylor Swift bill) at First Avenue.”
When Harris announced Walz as her running mate, she praised his commitment to middle-class families and his strong family values. “One of the things that stood out to me about Tim is how his convictions on fighting for middle-class families run deep. It’s personal,” Harris wrote in an Instagram post. “He worked with Republicans to pass infrastructure investments. He cut taxes for working families. He passed a law to provide paid family and medical leave to Minnesotan families.”
Harris added, “We are going to build a great partnership. We are going to build a great team. We are going to win this election.”