Vice President Kamala Harris announced Minnesota Governor Tim Walz will be her running mate on Tuesday. Walz, a military veteran and union supporter could strengthen the party unity as they head towards Election Day.
“As a governor, a coach, a teacher, and a veteran, he’s delivered for working families like his,” Harris wrote on X/twitter. “It’s great to have him on the team.”
Walz, 60, is a Midwestern governor and military veteran known for supporting unions and advancing an ambitious Democratic agenda in Minnesota. His tenure includes significant strides in abortion rights and family aid. He also helped achieve Minnesota Democrats significant legislative accomplishments including, trans rights, tax credits for families, universal free school meals, and a paid family leave program.
Harris and Walz will campaign together, visiting key battleground states. Their schedule includes stops in Wisconsin, Michigan, Arizona, and Nevada, although plans for Georgia and North Carolina were postponed due to Tropical Storm Debby.
Walz has helped Harris campaign even before being picked as her running mate. He labeled their Republican competitors former President Donald Trump and Sen. JD Vance as “just weird” last month. Since then, Democrats have used the “weird” label to attack Republicans.
He entered politics in 2006, representing a rural Minnesota district in Congress before becoming governor in 2018. His tenure as governor has seen both cooperation and conflict, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. He was reelected in 2022.
Walz has been active nationally, serving as a surrogate for the Biden-Harris administration and co-chairing the Democratic National Convention’s rules committee. His selection as Harris’s running mate aims to bolster Democratic strength in the Midwest, with Minnesota’s electoral votes being a key target. Despite past Republican near-wins, the state remains crucial for the Democratic strategy. Minnesota has a history of producing vice presidents, including Hubert Humphrey and Walter Mondale.
