Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, has selected Tim Walz as her vice-presidential running mate, a decision that surprised some observers.
At 60, Walz has held various roles as a former teacher, coach, and military veteran before eventually entering politics.
According to American media, Walz is one of the most notable representatives of the American heartland. Born in West Point, Nebraska, a community of about 3,500 people northwest of Omaha, Walz joined the Army National Guard and became a teacher in Nebraska.
He moved with his wife to Mankato in southern Minnesota in the 1990s. There, he taught social sciences and coached school football, including the team in 1999 that won the school’s first of four state championships.
Service in the Army National Guard
He served 24 years in the Army National Guard before retiring from a field artillery battalion in 2005 as a command sergeant major, one of the highest ranks in the army.
In his first run for Congress in 2006, Walz defeated a six-term incumbent Republican. He capitalized on voter anger towards then-President George Bush and the Iraq War.
During his six terms in the U.S. House, he championed veterans’ issues.
He built his image partly through social media video posts with his daughter, Hope. In one video last fall, they tried a ride at the Minnesota State Fair after previously arguing over fair food and her being a vegetarian.
Could help the ticket in key Midwest States
Although Walz does not come from one of the key battleground states ahead of the November presidential elections, such as Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania, which both sides believe are must-wins, he is right next door. He could also ensure Minnesota remains in Democratic hands.
This is significant because former President Donald Trump has highlighted Minnesota as an important state, despite the state not electing a Republican to statewide office since 2006. It is also worth noting that a Republican presidential candidate has not won the state since President Richard Nixon’s landslide in 1972, but Trump has already campaigned there.
Walz can connect with the working class. He has been an advocate for Democratic causes, including union organization, workers’ rights, and a $15 minimum wage.
Experience with divided Government
In his first term as governor, Walz faced a Legislature divided between a Democratic-led House and a Republican-controlled Senate that resisted his proposals to use higher taxes to boost funding for schools, healthcare, and roads. However, he and the legislators reached compromises that made the state’s divided government appear productive.
Bipartisan cooperation became more difficult during his second year as he used the governor’s emergency powers during the COVID-19 pandemic to close businesses and schools. However, things became easier for him in his second term after defeating Republican Scott Jensen, a doctor known nationally as a vaccine skeptic. Democrats gained control of both legislative chambers, paving the way for a more liberal agenda in state government, aided by a massive budget surplus.
While initially supporting President Joe Biden to continue his campaign, Walz has been a strong public supporter of Harris in her campaign against Donald Trump and J.D. Vance, calling the Republican duo “just strange” in an interview last month.
