Fox News’ Jessica Tarlov found herself in the hot seat on The Five after defending former vice presidential candidate Tim Walz (D-MN), who is now attempting to rebuild the Democratic Party after its crushing election defeat.
During a heated segment on Democratic messaging failures, the panel debated how the party’s disconnect with voters contributed to its loss. Jesse Watters mocked the party’s reliance on social media influencers, arguing that Democrats are more focused on appearances than addressing real voter concerns.
“Democrats need to drop the theatrics and just be real people,” Watters said.
Tarlov Breaks with the Panel, Defends Walz
While most of The Five’s panel criticized the Democratic Party’s outreach efforts, Tarlov took a surprising stance—praising Walz for stepping up in the absence of Kamala Harris and Joe Biden.
“I think it’s good that Tim Walz is out there,” Tarlov argued, defending the party’s messaging strategy.
Her co-hosts weren’t buying it.
Jesse Watters, visibly skeptical, quickly fired back:
“Really?”
Meanwhile, Greg Gutfeld piled on with his signature sarcasm:
“Oh, he’s really out there.”
Despite the pushback, Tarlov stood her ground, insisting that Walz is at least taking responsibility—something, she noted, that voters wanted Biden to do.
“It’s better than not confronting it. And he’s taking responsibility, which people were asking for. They wanted Biden to take responsibility,” she said.
She also cited a Quinnipiac poll showing high disapproval ratings for Donald Trump, claiming Democrats’ economic messaging is resonating with voters. According to Tarlov, Democrats are effectively engaging through town halls and grassroots outreach, while Republicans are dodging tough questions.
Walz Takes His Message to Red States
Walz himself made headlines this week, announcing a new strategy to bring the Democratic message into red states.
In a viral social media post, he declared:
“I’m hitting the road, traveling to red states across the country to lend a megaphone to the people. Your congressman may not want to listen, but they’re going to hear from us anyway.”
Speaking with CNN, Walz framed his tour as a response to what he sees as Republican failures:
“There was just a primal scream from folks recognizing what’s going on with the Trump administration—its authoritarian tendencies—and the lack of response from their representatives.”
According to Walz, Republican lawmakers are avoiding town halls because they know their policies are deeply unpopular.
“These folks need to be heard. And to be candid, Democratic leadership needs to hear them too,” he added.
Walz: “I’m Handing the Megaphone to the People”
Walz says his goal is to amplify the voices of frustrated Americans.
“I understand my responsibility. I have a little more of a national voice now, so I should bring it to them. I’m basically handing the megaphone to them.”
As Democrats struggle to regroup after their election loss, Walz’s efforts signal a new strategy—but whether his approach resonates with voters or fuels further division within the party remains to be seen.