Vice President Kamala Harris has named Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate for the upcoming election. This decision places the former educator and Army National Guard veteran at the forefront of the Democratic Party’s effort to prevent Donald Trump from returning to the White House.
The selection process, completed in record time, saw Harris inform Walz via a video call. This marks a significant rise for the Midwestern Democrat, who has swiftly transitioned from relative obscurity to a central figure in the party’s campaign against Trump and the MAGA movement.
Walz emerged victorious from a highly competitive shortlist, which included notable Democrats such as Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and Arizona Senator Mark Kelly. Harris conducted in-person interviews with Walz, Shapiro, and Kelly on Sunday, leading to her final decision.
Despite a limited prior relationship, Harris reportedly found a natural rapport with Walz, particularly impressed by his authenticity and the chemistry they shared during their final meeting at her residence. As vice presidents hold limited official duties, their role as campaign surrogates and potential successors is crucial.
In an impressive two-week period, Walz advanced from a long-shot candidate to Harris’ top choice, buoyed by widespread support within the Democratic Party from both progressive and moderate factions.
Walz accompanied Harris in March when she made history as the first sitting vice president to visit an abortion clinic, underscoring his alignment with her stance on key issues.
Like all regular people in America's heartland, JD Vance studied at Yale, had his career funded by Silicon Valley billionaires, and wrote a bestseller trashing that community.
Come on.
I can't wait to debate the guy—that is, if he's willing to get off the couch and show up. pic.twitter.com/4orv0v2xTZ
— Tim Walz (@Tim_Walz) August 6, 2024
But who exactly is Walz, and what are his positions on the issues shaping the US election?
Walz, 60, brings a wealth of executive and legislative experience. He was elected governor of Minnesota in 2018 and secured a second term four years later, winning comfortably in a state not traditionally a Democratic stronghold. Before his tenure as governor, Walz spent 12 years in the US House of Representatives, representing a predominantly rural district in southern Minnesota.
A US military veteran, Walz served 24 years in the Army National Guard, having enlisted at 17. Prior to his political career, he was a schoolteacher.
On policy, Walz has earned praise from progressives for advancing left-leaning priorities in a swing state. Over the past six years, he has enacted programs covering college tuition for low-income students, introduced free breakfast and lunch in public schools, legalised recreational marijuana for adults, and expanded worker protections.
In response to Harris’s choice, Trump’s campaign has begun to shape its narrative, with one source accusing the vice president of aligning with the “anti-Semitic, anti-Israel left” by choosing Walz. Trump’s campaign press secretary Karoline Leavitt criticised Walz, claiming he aims to transform Minnesota in the image of California.
