Harris picks Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz for running mate
Vice President Kamala Harris has selected Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her vice presidential running mate, according to three sources with knowledge of the pick. This decision adds a popular Midwestern state executive to the Democratic ticket as the party aims to retain key northern battleground states this fall.
By choosing Walz, who is in his second term and previously served 12 years in Congress, Harris gains a running mate with a proven record of appealing to white working-class voters in Rust Belt states and a robustly progressive background.
Democrats hope this blend of attributes will help a Harris-Walz ticket secure support in the “blue wall” states of Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Michigan—traditional Democratic strongholds that Donald Trump won in 2016 and Joe Biden reclaimed in 2020. These states are seen as Biden’s, and now Harris’, most viable path to victory.
Walz, 60, was initially viewed as a long shot among vice presidential contenders, including rising party stars like Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro. Walz’s earlier career as a public school teacher and member of the Army National Guard could help him connect with various voting blocs, including veterans and organized labor, which Harris needs to win in November.
However, Walz starts the campaign broadly unknown: a new NPR/PBS/Marist poll released Tuesday morning showed 71% of Americans had no opinion about Walz or had never heard of him. Another 17% viewed him favorably, while 12% viewed him unfavorably. Both campaigns will now race to define him.
A Nebraska native, Walz enlisted in the National Guard at 17 and served for over two decades, both domestically and overseas. He later became a high school social studies teacher and football coach in Mankato, about 80 miles south of Minneapolis, before winning a congressional seat in a largely rural and agricultural district in 2006.
He represented Minnesota’s 1st District for 12 years before successfully running for governor in 2018. A 1995 reckless driving arrest in Nebraska, during which an officer said Walz failed a sobriety test, surfaced during his campaigns for the House and governorship, but he was elected regardless. Walz called it a “gut check moment” in a 2018 interview with the Minneapolis Star Tribune, saying he stopped drinking afterward.
Walz’s allies often highlight his background representing rural communities, noting his re-election in a red-trending district. This could help Democrats attract moderate or conservative voters skeptical of Trump.
Walz also brings extensive Capitol Hill experience, with relationships in Congress that could help a new president advance a legislative agenda.
As governor, Walz has overseen significant progressive policy accomplishments, particularly during his second term, when Democrats also controlled both chambers of the Legislature. He has signed laws protecting abortion rights, legalizing recreational marijuana, restricting gun access, and providing legal refuge to trans youths whose access to gender-affirming care has been restricted elsewhere. Progressives see Minnesota as a model for using legislative power to achieve policy goals.
Walz also enacted laws expanding paid family leave, banning most noncompete agreements, providing universal school meals for students, and capping the price of insulin in Minnesota—three years before Biden did so nationally. His legislative successes are seen as potential national models.
In recent days, Walz has increased his media presence, attacking Trump and Sen. JD Vance. In a late July interview on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” he criticized Trump and Vance as “weird,” a line Harris quickly adopted.
The pro-Trump super PAC MAGA Inc. labeled Walz as “incompetent” and described him and Harris as “far-left radicals that don’t know how to govern.” Trump campaign press secretary Karoline Leavitt called Walz a “West Coast wannabe” trying to reshape Minnesota in the image of California.
Despite the risks of picking Walz, such as his lack of a specific battleground state advantage since Minnesota hasn’t voted Republican in a presidential race since 1972, his selection underscores Democrats’ strategy to target Midwestern voters. However, his governing record has faced criticism, including delays in calling the National Guard during the George Floyd protests and the largest pandemic fraud case in the U.S. occurring under his watch.
Walz’s role as co-chair of the Democratic National Convention rules committee, which helped Harris become the presumptive nominee after Biden dropped out, was initially seen as a potential conflict of interest. However, no high-profile competitors challenged Harris for the nomination, making this concern largely moot.
Walz has emphasized the importance of uniting around shared values, such as strong public schools, labor unions, and affordable healthcare, to win over voters.
Credit: NBC News
