Kamala Harris has officially announced her running mate: Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.
According to CNN, Harris personally invited Walz through a video call.
Walz won the race to be Harris’ running mate against Democrat heavyweights like Arizona Senator Mark Kelly and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro.
Harris and Walz don’t have much history, but the current Vice President loved how he carried himself.
Walz also impressed her “by his authenticity” during a final meeting on Sunday at the Naval Observatory.
Tim Walz Has Risen From Unlikely Candidate To Kamala Harris’ Running Mate
It is the honor of a lifetime to join @kamalaharris in this campaign.
I’m all in.
Vice President Harris is showing us the politics of what’s possible. It reminds me a bit of the first day of school.
So, let’s get this done, folks! Join us. https://t.co/tqOVsw2OLM
— Tim Walz (@Tim_Walz) August 6, 2024
In just two weeks, Walz has risen from a third-tier candidate with hardly a chance to a serious contender.
Walz also received plenty of support from Democratic Party members.
A longtime supporter said:
“He talks and looks like a lot of the voters we’ve lost to Trump.”
In March, Walz accompanied Harris as she became the country’s first sitting vice president to visit an abortion clinic officially.
The source added:
“The chemistry was really important to Harris and it really clicked for both of them. Then, on top of that, the Harris campaign, like all of us, saw how energizing Walz was for the base.”
Everything You Need To Know About Tim Walz
Walz is currently serving his second term as the Minnesota governor and chair of the Democratic Governors Association.
Before becoming Governor, Walz served in Congress for 12 years as the representative of a Republican-dominated conservative rural district.
Walz also has a touching family history.
Last month, Walz opened up about infertility troubles with Gwen, his wife of three decades.
He said:
“My oldest daughter’s name is Hope. That’s because my wife and I spent seven years trying to get pregnant, needed fertility treatments, things like IVF – things (MAGA Republicans) would ban. These guys are the anti-freedoms.”
Before joining Congress, Walz was a football coach and high school teacher.
Walz even served in the Army National Guard, obtaining one of the highest ranks: command sergeant major.
During his 12 years in Congress, Walz supported abortion rights and opposed a ban on same-sex marriage.
However, he also endorsed the National Rifle Association.
But since becoming Governor, Walz has supported gun safety actions–making him unpopular with the gun lobby.
Democratic strategist said about Walz:
“I think he was a solid Democratic member of the House with a few twists – focus on ag, farmers, rural areas. I think that he wanted to protect rifles and things of that nature as a rural congressman.”
In 2018, Walz ran for Governor and won with a double-digit margin.
He was reelected in 2022 with 52 percent of the vote.
The state’s Democratic Party (Called the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party) won control of the state House and Senate, giving Walz some legislative control.
Not one to rest on his laurels, Tim Walz used his position and power to sign into law social welfare programs like increased access to Medicaid, free lunch for public school kids, and increased protections for workers to unionize.
Walz also introduced new gun safety laws, passed a marijuana legalization bill, increased trans rights protections, and more.
The Governor’s actions even earned praise from Former President Barack Obama, who said his legislation was a “reminder that elections have consequences.”
What do you think of Walz as Kamala Harris’ running mate?
