Vice President Kamala Harris selected Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, a six-term congressman and former high school educator, as her running mate for her presidential ticket after two weeks of deliberations.
Walz rose to the top from a competitive shortlist of vice presidential candidates, including Arizona Senator Mark Kelly, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, US Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg and Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, among others.
Unlike other candidates who interviewed for the position, Walz does not hail from a battleground state. Minnesota has traditionally supported a Democratic presidential candidate, with the exception being Nixon’s 1972 victory. And with him being a governor, there was no fear from Harris of losing a congressional seat, unlike Senator Kelly.
Walz’s extensive background in the Army National Guard, views on gun ownership and popularity among rural conservative voters could help Harris appeal to working-class white voters. A second-term governor, Walz is a lesser-known prospect, though he has gained momentum after it was announced he was a viable candidate for the Harris ticket.
Walz made his first bid for Congress in 2006 after spending 20 years as an educator and football coach and serving in the National Guard. Walz won that race, beating Republican Gil Gutknecht and becoming the highest-ranking retired enlisted soldier to serve in Congress. He was re-elected again in 2008, 2012 and 2016. Walz launched a bid for Minnesota governor in 2018 after incumbent Democratic Governor Mark Dayton chose not to seek a third term. He won the election that year and again in 2022.
Walz has made strides within the Democratic Party during his time as governor, including signing the PRO Act into law, which made abortion a fundamental right, as well as signing a law that created a program to provide paid family and medical leave for Minnesota workers by 2026.
Walz faced heavy criticism from Republicans after enacting a “red flag law” that allows family members, roommates and law enforcement to petition courts to remove firearms from anyone deemed a threat to themselves or others. In 2020, Walz also faced scrutiny from conservatives after a delayed activation of the Minnesota National Guard during the protests following the murder of George Floyd.
Now both major party tickets have their VP picks: JD Vance and Tim Walz. Traditionally, vice presidential candidates hold a debate in the latter half of the election season, though no such debate has been announced at this point.
Harris and Walz will embark on a campaign tour of battleground states, including stops in Philadelphia, Eau Claire, Wisconsin; Savannah, Georgia; Detroit, Phoenix and Las Vegas.
