(The Center Square) – Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday picked Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz for the Democrats’ presidential ticket against Republican former President Donald Trump.
The Associated Press reported the announced shortly after 9 a.m. eastern.
The news comes 16 days after President Joe Biden said he would not seek reelection and endorsed Harris, who immediately acknowledged her candidacy. No other candidates emerged, and the party by virtual roll call Thursday through Monday awarded her the nomination.
The duo was expected to launch a battleground states tour Tuesday night at Temple University in Philadelphia. Parts of the tour in Georgia and North Carolina are being altered due to Hurricane Debby that hit Florida on Monday and began advancing up the Atlantic Seaboard as a tropical storm.
Walz came from behind, according to oddsmakers, to become the choice. Speculation from the outset centered on Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and Arizona U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly. Below that were Walz, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker.
Cooper a week ago removed his name from consideration when, at the time, he and Shapiro were considered the two leaders for the job. Shapiro was the expected choice as late as Monday morning.
As a working-class politician – that includes working as a teacher and serving in the National Guard – with a rural background, Walz can serve as a progressive foil to Trump’s fellow Midwesterner pick, Ohio U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance. The North Star State governor called both Republicans “weird” in a comment that has gone viral.
If Walz were to become vice president, he would become the third in the ranks of vice presidents from Minnesota. Hubert Humphrey served under Lyndon B. Johnson, and Walter Mondale under Jimmy Carter.
Walz has 12 years experience in Congress and has twice been elected governor.
As governor, Walz has supported abortion access, voting rights expansion and voting rights reforms. He has also been endorsed by more than 25 Minnesota labor unions, including AFL-CIO, MN Teamsters, AFSCME, Education Minnesota and United Food and Commercial Workers.
He’s drawn praise for education investment, including free breakfast and lunch in public schools.
Walz self-describes his actions an “abject failure” during the Twin Cities riots associated with the death of George Floyd. He called in the National Guard, rejected federal military assistance and videos still circulate showing debris, smoke and inner city scenes many might think are in a foreign country rather than America.
Minnesota, carrying 10 electoral votes, is a historically Democratic stronghold that has become more competitive in recent years. The most recent polls show Harris ahead of Trump in the state.
Trump was nominated last month in Milwaukee, Wis., with Vance as his running mate. Independent Robert Kennedy Jr. is the highest polling of other candidates on ballots.
