Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris has chosen Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate for this year’s presidential election, CNN reported Tuesday, citing four sources familiar with the selection.
In doing so, she tapped a progressive policy advocate and straight-America man to help her win over rural, white voters, people familiar with the matter said.
Walz, a 60-year-old United States (U.S.) Army National Guard veteran and former teacher, was elected to a Republican district in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2006 and served 12 years before being elected governor of Minnesota in 2018.
As governor, Walz is pushing a progressive agenda that includes free school meals, fighting climate change, tax cuts for the middle class and expanded paid leave for Minnesota workers.
Walz has long advocated for women’s reproductive rights, but he also displayed conservative traits while representing a rural district in the U.S. House of Representatives, defending agricultural interests and supporting gun rights.
Kamala Harris’ campaign hopes that Walz’s career in the National Guard, along with the successful work of the high school football coach, will attract voters who didn’t decide to support Donald Trump’s second term in the White House.
Walz was relatively unknown nationally until talk of the vice presidential candidates started heating up.
