Vice President Kamala Harris reportedly picked Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate on Tuesday, according to three people familiar with her decision.
Associated Press reports that her campaign plans to make the formal announcement via video message before the pair heads to an evening rally in Philadelphia on Tuesday (August 6). Note that the three sources spoke to AP on condition of anonymity because it had not yet formally been made public.
The decision marks another significant milestone in the short period since the vice president moved to take over the top of the Democratic ticket following Joe Biden’s July 21 decision to step aside. She formally secured the nomination on Monday night.
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Who Is Tim Walz?
In choosing the 60-year-old Tim Walz, Harris is turning to a Midwestern governor and military veteran. Additionally, the governor is a union supporter who helped enact a Democratic agenda for his state, including sweeping protections for abortion rights and generous aid to families.
Walz grew up in the small town of West Point, Nebraska. Before getting into politics, he worked as a social studies teacher, football coach, and union member at Mankato West High School in Minnesota.
In 2006, he won the first of six terms in Congress from a mostly rural southern Minnesota district. He used the office to champion veterans’ issues. For context, Tim Walz served 24 years in the Army National Guard, rising to command sergeant major — one of the highest enlisted ranks in the military.
What Has Walz Done For Minnesota While In Office?
Tim Walz ran for governor in 2018 on the theme of “One Minnesota” and won by more than 11 points. As governor, Walz had to find ways to work in his first term with a legislature that was split between a Democratic-controlled House and a Republican-led Senate. Despite the state’s history of divided government, the arrangement was surprisingly productive in his first year.
But the COVID-19 pandemic hit Minnesota early in his second year, and bipartisan cooperation soon crumbled. Tim Walz relied on emergency powers to lead the state’s response.
Republicans chafed under restrictions that included lockdowns, closing schools, and shuttering businesses. They retaliated by firing or forcing out some of his agency heads. However, Minnesotans who were stuck at home also got to know Walz better through his frequent afternoon briefings in the early days of the crisis, which were broadcast and streamed statewide.
Walz won reelection in 2022 by nearly 8 points over his GOP challenger, Dr. Scott Jensen. Not only did Walz win, Democrats kept control of the House and flipped the Senate. For the first time in eight years, Democrats had full control of both chambers and the governor’s office.
Walz and other Democrats’ proudest accomplishments during the 2023 legislative session included sweeping protections for abortion rights. Those rights included the elimination of nearly all restrictions Republicans had enacted in prior years. Some of those restrictions included a 24-hour waiting period and parental consent requirements.
Additionally, the Minnesota governor and Dems enacted new protections for trans rights. The legislation designated Minnesota a refuge for families coming from out of state for treatment for trans children.
Their other major accomplishments included tax credits for families with children and universal free school breakfasts and lunches for all students, regardless of family income.
They also enacted a paid family and medical leave program, legalized recreational marijuana for adults, and made it easier to vote.
When Did Kamala Harris Make The Final Decision On Her White House Running Mate?
According to AP, a team of lawyers and political operatives led by former Attorney General Eric Holder went over documents and conducted interviews with potential selections.
Additionally, Kamala Harris met with her three finalists on Sunday (August 4). She reportedly discussed the decision with top aides on Monday at the vice president’s residence in Washington. Then, Harris finalized her choice on Tuesday morning.
Harris initially considered nearly a dozen candidates before zeroing in on a handful of serious contenders. All of her potentials were white men. In landing on Tim Walz, she sided with a low-key partner who has proven himself as a champion for Democratic causes.
The Minnesota governor has been a strong public advocate for Harris in her campaign against Trump and his running mate, J.D. Vance. Walz labeled the Republicans “just weird” in an interview last month.
During a fundraiser for Kamala Harris on Monday (August 5) in Minneapolis, Walz stood by his words. He said, “It wasn’t a slur to call these guys weird. It was an observation.”
Stay tuned for the formal announcement and more campaign developments, including Donald Trump J.D. Vance’s reactions.
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Associated Press staff Zeke Miller, Collee Long, Steve Karnowski, Will Weissert, and Seung Min Kim contributed to this report.
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