Does He Know What a Runza Is? – Tim Walz, Governor of Minnesota and Democratic Candidate for Vice-President 2024

 Let’s Never Forget that it’s the Local Things that Touch the Heart

Around 2012, I had the honour of meeting a lady called Anu Samtani, who was the event manager for the Indian Institutes of Technology (“IIT”). Anu, who is Bengali, explained to me that although everyone in India speaks Hindi and English, it was the Bengali language that touched her heart.

I remember this because it’s the best explanation as to how we value certain things based on what we grew up with, even as the world converges and certain things become “standardized” on a global level. In a way, its something that Singaporeans as a whole don’t get (though things have been changing thanks to the migration of Indian and Chinese Nationals), in as much as we’re a small place and there’s really not that much difference between various parts of Singapore to get attached to. It’s fairly easy to be at the “national” level in Singapore, where its Singapore and Singaporeans against the rest of the world. Take the example of the “Malaysia Cup,” when Singapore played against Malaysian states. This was exciting because it was Singapore facing the rest of Malaysia. The “S-League” hasn’t generated excitement because, the feeling of Jurong versus Tampines isn’t the same.

However, once you’re outside Singapore, you’ll find that most nations are actually a combination of many unique regions and when the term “local” is used, it means local to a particular region rather than to the nation at large.

One of the most obvious demonstrations of the value of the “local” is seen in American elections, the latest of which is due on 5 November this year. Since it’s billed as “The US Presidential Elections,” everyone one thinks of it as a “single” election in which the entire nation votes for an office holder. The reality is quite different. It’s not a single election but 50 different elections.

As Rick Wilson, head of the Lincoln Project points out, Republicans have been, on average, more successful at winning offices than the Democrats because they understand this. His argument is that Democrats put up candidates that talk about “national” things. The Republicans by contrast fielded candidates that were relevant to voters on their regional level.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vdiw7IkWRJ4

 

 So, it’s refreshing to see that the Democrats are trying to adopt the same strategy in this current election, as can be seen by this speech given by Vice-Presidential candidate Tim Walz, who is from the state. Note that he uses a lot of “local” terminology and one of the most prominent attacks against his opponents is that they wouldn’t know what a “Runza” is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vdiw7IkWRJ4

 

https://www.runza.com/menu/original-runza-sandwich

 

 

Now, its probably going to be a challenge in as much as Nebraska has been a “safe,” Republican seat for the longest of times. However, this probably the most effective way in which elections can be won in that the appeal to the voters goes down deeper than its been before:

https://www.270towin.com/states/Nebraska#google_vignette

 

Understanding and appreciating the importance of “local” issues will become more relevant. People will, have to work on a global and local level at the same time. My Indian friends, for example, speak English and Hindi, because they need to, they also hold onto their local languages because its what is relevant to them in their day-to-day context.

Likewise, as an ethnic Chinese, I speak English and I can speak Mandarin. Both are languages for survival. However, if pushed to speak a Chinese dialect, I prefer to speak in dialect. It’s what touches the heart. A Chinese environment inevitably means dialect speaking rather than Mandarin speaking.

https://www.tiktok.com/@tang.li0/video/7393400910396820737?lang=en

 

 Dim sum and the familiarity of speaking the same dialect.

Yes, people around the world will do think logically and look at rationality. However, if you want to reach them at their most emotional level – look to their regional affiliations – the things that are closest to home.