Earlier this week, Minnesota’s governor was thrust into the national spotlight. That man is Tim Walz, the running mate of Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris. The announcement came on the heels of a presidential campaign tour through seven cities in battleground states: Philadelphia; Eau Claire, Wisconsin; Detroit; Durham, North Carolina; Savannah, Georgia; Phoenix; and Las Vegas reports URL Media partner Capital B, adding that Harris’ selection of Walz is the most significant decision in her evolving presidential campaign.
“I am proud to announce that I’ve asked Governor Tim Walz to be my running mate. One of the things that stood out to me about Tim is how his convictions on fighting for middle-class families run deep. It’s personal. As a governor, a coach, a teacher, and a veteran, he’s delivered for working families like his own. We are going to build a great partnership. We start out as underdogs, but I believe together, we can win this election,” Vice President Harris said, as highlighted in this story from Native News Online.
Who is Tim Walz?
Raised in a small town in rural Nebraska in 1964, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz successfully ran a gubernatorial bid in 2018 and won re-election in 2022. Unearthing more about the relatively unknown governor, our partners have also called attention to Walz’s life before entering politics.
At 17, Walz enlisted in the National Guard and served for 24 years. He also worked in agriculture and manufacturing, taught in China, and later became a high school social studies teacher and football coach in Mankato, Minnesota, as highlighted by TANTV Studios.
Why Kamala Harris Picked Tim Walz
Tim Walz went from being a relatively unknown governor to being front and center in national U.S. politics, becoming the focus of hilarious tweets all week. (See them for yourself here.) The Democratic Party’s vice-presidential candidate wasted no time going on the offense against Republican nominee Donald Trump and his running mate J.D. Vance at a Harris campaign rally. This clip shows Walz explaining why he used the term “weird” to refer to Trump on cable news last month. The new messaging from the Democratic Party sent social media, including younger voters, into a tizzy — momentum that the Harris campaign has leveraged since Biden ended his re-election bid.
Capital B and TANTV Studios opine that Walz was selected largely for his broad Midwestern appeal and values. “As a former congressman from a rural district, Walz may help Democrats reconnect with rural white voters who have been trending Republican and may have their own biases against Harris,” states TANTV.
Walz’s Policies
Walz is known for his liberal stance on many issues as a state governor and has passed several laws that have helped the Midwestern state of Minnesota remain a Democratic stronghold. As governor, Walz has established a 100% clean energy standard for Minnesota by 2040, expanded paid leave for Minnesota workers, signed legislation codifying abortion rights in the state, expanded eligibility for Minnesota driver’s licenses to include all Minnesotans regardless of immigration status, and made school meals free for all Minnesota students.
Plus: Dissecting Tim Walz’s public record on immigration (Documented)
Walz has also been a leading figure in protecting voting rights. In May, he signed the Minnesota Voting Rights Act to strengthen private enforcement and eliminate issues like prison gerrymandering by using an incarcerated person’s previous address instead of the address of their place of imprisonment for census counting. Capital B highlights this legislation also facilitates voting for college students.
Fun fact: Gov. Walz also designated July 20 as Beyoncé Day in Minnesota to honor the legend’s performance in Minneapolis during her Renaissance World Tour last year.
More: How Harris and Walz are trying to shift this election’s vibes (Capital B)
What Challenges Lie Ahead
Despite being well known in Minnesota, Walz is still not a household name, and establishing his presence and connecting with voters will be crucial during the Harris-Walz campaign these next 80 or so days. For decades, Minnesota has voted primarily Democrat, and Walz will need to support both he and Harris as they appeal to voters in swing states.
TANTV mentions that Walz is vulnerable to attacks from conservatives who have criticized his handling of the 2020 George Floyd protests and his administration’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Additionally, the Harris-Walz campaign faces growing discontent from younger and Muslim American voters, who are dissatisfied with Harris’ relationship with Israel as spotlighted in this opinion story from Prism.
With so few days left in the election, we’ll be watching how Walz counters these attacks right here with our partners at url-media.com.
