Meet Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Who Kamala Harris Selected As VP
The predictions and speculation are over as multiple sources are reporting Tuesday morning that Vice President Kamala Harris has selected Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate.
Walz now hopes to follow in the footsteps of Hubert Humphrey and Walter Mondale, Minnesota politicians who both served as Vice President. It's worth noting that Walter Mondale supported Tim Walz on his first 2006 campaign for the House of Representatives.
Vice President Harris reportedly told Walz that they are the underdogs in the 2024 presidential race. Still, she believes they have a winning message focusing on reducing costs for the middle class and protecting freedom.
Who Is Minnesota Governor Tim Walz?
Now that the selection has been made, Minnesota is squarely in the national spotlight, and while residents are well aware of Gov. Walz, the rest of the nation is playing catch up.
Tim Walz is Minnesota’s 41st Governor. He was first t elected Governor in 2018 and won re-election in 2022.
Walz served in the Army National Guard, at first part-time before going full-time. Command Sergeant Major Walz would serve a total of 24 years in the Army National Guard before retiring from the 1-125th Field Artillery Battalion in 2005.
Walz was also a high school teacher and coach, helping to coach the Mankato West football team to the school’s first state championship. It was as a teacher that he met his wife Gwen.
He won his first election when he was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 2006 and was re-elected for another five terms serving Minnesota’s First Congressional District in Southern Minnesota before ultimately being elected the Goverv
According to his office, his list of accomplishments as Governor include:
- Providing universal free school meals for students
- Protecting reproductive freedom
- Strengthening voting rights
- Laying the groundwork to get Minnesota to 100% clean electricity by 2040
- Cutting taxes for the middle class
- Expanding paid leave for Minnesota workers
Governor Walz posted on social media Tuesday morning that it was "an honor of a lifetime" to join Kamala Harris on the ticket.
His detractors were quick to criticize Walz, saying he leans far left politically which could turn off moderates, and questioning his leadership during the George Floyd riots in Minneapolis.
Now that the players are set, both the Harris and Trump campaigns will likely ramp up their respective political machines ahead of the November election. Buckle up!
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Gallery Credit: Rob Carroll