Kamala Harris picks Minnesota Governor, Tim Walz as running mate

Kamala Harris, Democratic presidential candidate and US vice president, announced Minnesota Governor, Tim Walz, as her running mate on Tuesday.

Harris picked Walz as she prepares to battle Donald Trump’s Republican party in November’s US election.

Experts believe that Walz brings a rural Midwestern perspective to the Democrat’s campaign while also having notched liberal policy goals such as cannabis legalisation and increasing worker protections.

Who is Tim Walz?

Tim Walz is the 41st Governor of Minnesota, first elected in 2018 and re-elected in 2022. During his tenure, he has achieved several notable accomplishments, including providing universal free school meals, protecting reproductive freedom, strengthening voting rights, and laying the groundwork for 100% clean electricity by 2040. He has also cut taxes for the middle class and expanded paid leave for Minnesota workers, prioritizing making Minnesota the best state to raise a family.

Born in rural Nebraska, Walz was instilled with values of public service, generosity, and working for the common good. He enlisted in the Army National Guard after high school and later attended Chadron State College, graduating with a social science degree in 1989. Walz spent a year teaching abroad before returning to serve full-time in the Army National Guard and eventually becoming a high school teacher and coach.

Walz retired from the Army National Guard in 2005 after 24 years of service and went on to win his first election to the United States House of Representatives in 2006, serving Minnesota’s First Congressional District for six terms. He brought his commitment to public service and working for the common good to his role as Governor, where he continues to prioritize the needs of Minnesotans and make the state a great place to raise a family.