Vice President Kamala Harris is poised to pick Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her vice presidential running mate to help her challenge Donald Trump and JD Vance in November.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz listens after meeting with President Joe Biden, July 3, 2024, at the White House in Washington.
Jacquelyn Martin/AP
Walz, 60, made a name for himself in the veepstakes as he gained major traction online with his folksy mannerisms and viral comments calling Trump and Vance “weird.”
He served in the Army National Guard and was a high school social studies teacher and football coach before he was elected to Congress in 2006.
He won six terms in the U.S. House representing a rural area of the state that had typically leaned conservative.
As governor, he’s implemented a bevy of progressive policies, including paid family leave, universal school breakfast and lunch, legalization of recreational marijuana use, state codification of abortion rights and gun control measures like universal background checks and red flag laws.
As a surrogate for Harris these past few weeks, Walz has praised her for reenergizing Democrats and defended her record against Trump’s attacks claiming she is “ultra-liberal.”
“He’s going to roll it out, mispronounce names, you know, to try and make the case,” Walz said of Trump attacking Harris during a recent appearance on CNN. “The fact of the matter is where you see the policies that Vice President Harris was a part of making, Democratic governors across the country executed those policies and quality of life is higher, the economies are better, all of those things, educational attainment is better.”
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
As the 2020 presidential election draws nearer, speculation is mounting over who Democratic nominee Joe Biden’s running mate will be. One name that has been frequently mentioned in discussions is Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. However, recent reports suggest that it may actually be Senator Kamala Harris who is considering Walz as her vice presidential running mate.
Harris, who ran for the Democratic nomination for president before dropping out and endorsing Biden, has been a prominent figure in the party for years. As a former prosecutor and current senator from California, she brings a wealth of experience to the table. However, some critics have questioned her ability to appeal to a broad range of voters, particularly in key swing states.
This is where Tim Walz comes in. As the governor of Minnesota, Walz has proven himself to be a popular and effective leader. He has received praise for his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic in his state, as well as his efforts to address racial inequality and police reform. Additionally, Walz’s background as a former high school teacher and National Guard veteran could help him connect with working-class voters and military families.
Choosing Walz as her running mate could also help Harris appeal to voters in the Midwest, a region that will be crucial in determining the outcome of the election. Minnesota is a swing state that went for Hillary Clinton in 2016 by a narrow margin, and having Walz on the ticket could help solidify support there.
Of course, nothing is set in stone yet, and Harris is reportedly considering several other candidates for the vice presidential slot. However, the possibility of her choosing Tim Walz as her running mate is certainly intriguing. With his strong track record as governor and his potential to appeal to a wide range of voters, Walz could be a valuable asset to the Democratic ticket in November.
