Kamala Harris Chooses Tim Walz as Running Mate for November Election

Harris Selects Walz as Running Mate for November Election

As she gains momentum in the polls, pulling even with or surpassing Republican contender Donald Trump, US Vice President Kamala Harris has officially announced her choice for running mate in the upcoming November election: Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. Before assuming the governorship in 2019, Walz served a noteworthy 12 years in the US House of Representatives, though his time there barely overlapped with Harris’s tenure as a US Senator.

A former high school educator and a dedicated 17-year veteran of the National Guard, Walz has showcased his political acumen by winning his rural House district six times. He achieved this feat despite a significant regional shift towards conservative politics. Notably, he managed to retain his seat during the tumultuous 2010 midterms, which saw Democrats face severe losses nationwide, as well as in 2016, a year when Hillary Clinton narrowly avoided defeat in Minnesota.

As governor, Walz has garnered substantial support among progressive Democrats by enacting a series of impactful policies. His administration has successfully:

• Restored voting rights to individuals with criminal records.
• Legalized recreational cannabis use.
• Guaranteed free breakfast and lunch for schoolchildren.
• Implemented a child tax credit.
• Codified abortion and reproductive rights into the state constitution.

These initiatives align closely with Harris’s agenda and have earned Walz critical goodwill from a revitalized progressive base, which Harris is actively seeking to engage.

Walz’s Rise in the Veepstakes

Despite his extensive experience, Walz was initially among the lesser-known candidates on Harris’s shortlist for vice presidential running mate. However, as she emerged as the presumptive nominee, his profile quickly rose due to compelling interviews where he made a strong case against Donald Trump and his partner, JD Vance.

Just two days after President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the race and endorsed Harris as his successor, Walz made a notable appearance on the influential politics show Morning Joe. During this appearance, he articulated a central theme of the Harris campaign’s critique of Trump and his party: “We do not like what has happened, where we can’t even go to Thanksgiving dinner with our uncle because you end up in some weird fight that is unnecessary,” he stated. “These guys are just weird. They’re running for a he-man women-haters club or something. That’s not what people are interested in.”

The term “weird” has since become a staple in the Harris campaign’s communications, effectively targeting Trump’s erratic public behavior and speech, as well as Vance’s fixation on a supposed societal decline attributed to women without children.

As the vice presidential selection process progressed, Walz began to appear more frequently across various platforms, building a strong online following. His social media clips, particularly those showcasing enjoyable outings with his daughter, Hope, were widely circulated, enhancing his relatability and appeal.

A clear indication of his rising status came when the campaign enlisted him for the now-famous “White Dudes for Harris” fundraising Zoom call. Alongside beloved figures such as Mark Hamill and Jeff Bridges, Walz helped raise an impressive $4 million (€3.6 million) in campaign contributions during this event.

On that call, Walz shared a personal narrative that resonated deeply with many: his family’s experience with reproductive health care. His daughter was conceived through IVF, a process that some hardline conservatives are attempting to ban due to its potential to involve the destruction of fertilized eggs. “Gwen and I have two beautiful children because of reproductive health care like IVF,” he expressed on Facebook earlier this year. “This issue is deeply personal to our family and so many others.”

He urged supporters, saying, “Don’t let these guys get away with this by telling you they support IVF when their handpicked judges oppose it. Actions speak louder than words, and their actions are clear. They’re bringing anti-science government into your exam room, bedroom, and classroom.”