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Kamala Harris has chosen Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate on the Democratic ticket. The decision was first reported by CNN.
In a text message sent out by her campaign on Tuesday, Harris said: “I’m pleased to share that I’ve made my decision: Minnesota Governor Tim Walz will join our campaign as my running mate.”
“Tim is a battle-tested leader who has an incredible track record of getting things done for Minnesota families,” the text said. “I know that he will bring that same principled leadership to our campaign, and to the office of the vice president.”
Walz, 60, said it was the ”honor of a lifetime," in a post on X.
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Walz has high credibility in the party, particularly with House Democrats, given his long tenure in the lower chamber from 2007 to 2019. His past military service, teaching career, and Midwestern background could appeal to swing voters in must-win states, Democrats have argued.
Some Democrats worried that Walz — a progressive governor responsible for expanding labor rights, legalizing recreational marijuana, providing universal free lunches, and codifying the right to abortion in Minnesota — isn’t moderate enough to balance Harris’ ticket. Republicans have taken to attacking her as an out-of-touch, “radical” liberal, and have leveled similar criticisms against Walz, including accusing him of allowing Minneapolis to burn for three nights amid rioting after police murdered George Floyd in 2020 by failing to coordinate an effective response quickly enough.
But Walz spent more than a decade in Congress representing a red, mostly rural southern Minnesota district, and has emerged as an effective attack dog for Harris in recent interviews by calling Republicans “weird” for seeking to curb reproductive rights and implement book bans.
Notable
- Minneapolis’ Star-Tribune breaks down Walz’ recent brush with virality.
- Politico unpacks Walz’ “Midwest grit…Midwest sensibility.”
- Semafor explains why this election is shaping up to be a partisan “weird-off.”
- CBS News has a rundown of Walz’ record as Minnesota’s governor.