On Tuesday, Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic Party’s nominee for the presidency, announced that Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz will join her as running mate in her challenge against former President Trump for the 2024 election, as reported by the Associated Press.
The selection of the 60-year-old Walz was expected, with speculation surrounding his candidacy having surfaced over the past two weeks since Harris took over as the party’s leader following President Biden’s exit.
Walz, a former congressman now serving his second term as governor of Minnesota, represents a state that has historically leaned Democratic in presidential elections but which the Trump campaign aims to flip this time around.
Walz’s straightforward approach not only strengthens Harris’ position in Minnesota but also enhances her appeal in neighboring battleground states like Wisconsin and Michigan.
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Vice President Kamala Harris has selected Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate for the Democratic Party’s 2024 ticket. (Getty Images)
As chair of the Democratic Governors Association, Walz’s fundraising prowess may also aid Harris, having led the DGA to unprecedented fundraising totals this year.
Walz can highlight several significant progressive achievements in Minnesota, such as safeguarding abortion rights, legalizing recreational cannabis, and enacting measures to restrict gun access and reduce shootings.
Growing up in rural Nebraska, Walz joined the Army National Guard in 1981 shortly after high school.
He later moved back to Nebraska to attend Chadron State College, graduating in 1989 with a degree in social science education.
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Walz spent a year teaching English and American History in China before returning to Nebraska, where he worked as a high school teacher and coached football and basketball starting in 1990. He relocated to Mankato, Minnesota, six years later to teach geography at Mankato West High School.
In 2003, Walz was deployed to Italy in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, retiring two years later as a command sergeant major from the National Guard.
He was elected to the House of Representatives in 2006 and was re-elected five times, serving Minnesota’s 1st Congressional District—a region primarily composed of rural areas in the southern part of the state featuring several mid-sized cities. In his final two years in office, he held the position of ranking member on the House Veterans Affairs Committee.
Walz was elected governor in 2018 and secured re-election four years later.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz addresses the media during a Biden-Harris campaign news conference on July 17, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Joe Lamberti)
The announcement of Walz’s candidacy coincides with the Democratic National Committee’s virtual roll call to formally endorse Harris as the party’s presidential candidate.
On Friday, the DNC confirmed Harris had officially secured the 2024 presidential nomination after earning the majority of pledged delegates for the upcoming national convention.
The electronic voting process for the Democratic nominee began less than two weeks after Biden dramatically suspended his re-election campaign and backed Harris to lead the ticket.
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Biden’s concerning performance during a late June debate in Atlanta raised doubts about his capacity to continue for another term, provoking increasing demands from his party for the 81-year-old president to withdraw his candidacy.
Vice President Kamala Harris addresses supporters at a rally in Atlanta on July 30, 2024. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
The swift endorsement of Harris by Biden sparked widespread support from various Democratic governors, senators, House members, and prominent party figures. Within just 36 hours, Harris secured the necessary backing from a majority of approximately 4,700 convention delegates to solidify her nomination.
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Harris is anticipated to be formally presented as the party’s nominee following the conclusion of the virtual roll call at 6 p.m. on Monday.
Once announced, she will have the opportunity to nominate her running mate. According to DNC regulations, the convention chair would then officially recognize that candidate as the party’s choice for vice president.
Both Harris and Walz are expected to commence a campaign tour across all seven vital battleground states starting Tuesday, beginning with an event in Philadelphia.
Stay informed with the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews, and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.
