Tim Walz debuts as Kamala Harris' VP pick at raucous Philly rally: Recap
PHILADELPHIA − Kamala Harris introduced Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate to a roaring crowd in Philadelphia on Tuesday evening, thrusting the outspoken Midwesterner into the national spotlight while adding a key ally to her fast-moving campaign for the presidency.
"It's been a bit of a whirlwind," Harris said, just weeks into her campaign to keep Donald Trump from returning to the White House after President Joe Biden dropped out. "We are the underdogs in this race, but we have the momentum, and I know exactly what we are up against.”
Of Walz, she told a crowd of 14,000 people at Temple University's Liacouras Center, “He's the kind of person who makes people feel like they belong, and then inspires them to dream big. And that's the kind of vice president he will be, and that's the kind of vice president America deserves.”
Walz, 60, laced into Trump, a role he's long relished. Noting that violent crime went up during the Trump presidency, he added, "and that's not even counting the crimes he committed." Trump's running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, "shares his dangerous and backward agenda for this country," Walz said.
He called the Republican ticket "weird" and "creepy."
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These were the top events of the day:
The big question:Why Kamala Harris chose Tim Walz over Josh Shapiro as her running mate
Where and when? Walz challenges Vance to debate
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz issued a debate challenge to his Republican opponent Sen. J.D. Vance.
“Like all regular people I grew up with in the heartland, J.D. studied at Yale, had his career funded by Silicon Valley billionaires, and then wrote a bestseller trashing that community,” Walz said. "Come on! That's not what Middle America is."
“And I got to tell you, I can’t wait to debate the guy.”
–Rebecca Morin
Walz slams Donald Trump’s record – and recent conviction
Walz slammed Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.
He criticized the Trump administration’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, saying he “froze in the face” of the crisis.
“First of all, he doesn't know the first thing about service,” said Walz, who served two decades in the Army National Guard. “He doesn't have time for it because he's too busy serving himself."
“Make no mistake, violent crime was up under Donald Trump,” Walz said. “That's not even counting the crimes he committed.”
The line prompted chants of “lock him up,” referring to the former president.
–Rebecca Morin
Walz to VP Harris: ‘Thank you for bringing back the joy’
Gov. Tim Walz on Tuesday said he “couldn’t be prouder” to be on the Democratic ticket.
“Thank you, Madam Vice President, for the trust you put in me but, maybe more so: Thank you for bringing back the joy,” he said.
–Rebecca Morin
Chants of 'U-S-A!' as Harris calls the ticket an 'only in America' team
Harris highlighted her background as the daughter of a working mother from Oakland, California, and that of the Nebraska-born Walz, who worked on a farm as a youth, as an 'only-in-America' pairing. The crowd erupted in chants of "U-S-A!"
The vice president keeps referring to her running mate as "Coach Walz."
−Dan Morrison
Harris introduces running-mate Walz: ‘More than a governor’
Who is Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz? Vice President Kamala Harris said Tuesday that after the election, she thinks he’s someone that Americans can call “Vice President of the United States.”
Harris introduced Walz, outlining his career as governor, a congressman, a veteran and as a former high school teacher. She noted how as a teacher, he served as faculty advisor for his school's gay straight alliance club. She also highlighted his career as governor, helping pass a bill to protect abortion access after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.
“He's the kind of person who makes people feel like they belong, and then inspires them to dream big,” she said. “And that's the kind of vice president he will be, and that's the kind of vice president America deserves.”
–Rebecca Morin
Harris: ‘We are the underdogs in this race’
Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday said her and her newly announced running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, are the “underdogs” in the 2024 presidential election.
“I stand before you today to proudly announce I am now officially the Democratic nominee, so now we got some work to do,” she said. "We need to move to the general election and win that."
“And we also need to level set, we are the underdogs in this race, but we have the momentum, and I know exactly what we are up against,” she said.
–Rebecca Morin
Harris and Walz enter the arena to rousing cheers
The Democratic nominee and her running mate have taken the stage to roars after Gov. Shapiro's forceful introduction.
Shapiro: I will work ‘my tail off’ to elect ‘good friends’ Harris, Walz
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro during a rousing speech Tuesday said he will work to get Harris and Walz to the White House. “I’m going to be working my tail off to make sure we make Kamala Harris and Tim Walz the next leaders of the United States of America,” Shapiro said during the rally in Philadelphia.
Shapiro praised Walz as the pick for Harris’ running mate, saying he has been friends with the governor for years.
“Tim Walz in his beautiful midwestern, plain spoken way, he summed up JD Vance the best: He’s a weirdo,” Shapiro said. The crowd began chanting “He’s a weirdo” when Shapiro mentioned Vance.
Shapiro also highlighted his relationship with Harris, saying they've been friends for two decades. “She is courtroom tough. She has a big heart. And she is battle tested and ready to go,” Shapiro said.
"Are you ready to look the next president of the United States in the eye and say hello Madam President?" he asked the crowd. "I am too − so let's get to work!"
−Rebecca Morin
‘I love being your governor,’ Shapiro says in Philly after Harris picks Walz
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, who came up short in the Harris veepstakes, received a huge round of applause from the crowd at the Harris-Walz rally in Phildelphia.
"I love you Philly!" Shapiro told the crowd before Harris and Walz takes the stage. "You know what else I love? I love being your governor. You all fill my heart. And I love you so much."
Shapiro added that he will work hard to make sure Harris and Walz win in November.
−Joey Garrison
Another Minnesota veep, dontcha know?
If Kamala Harris has her way, Minnesota may become known as the cradle of Democratic vice presidents.
Gov. Tim Walz would be the third Minnesotan of the last six Democratic veeps, should Harris and her newly minted running mate prevail in November.
Walz would join Hubert Humphrey, vice president to President Lyndon Johnson during the 1960s, and Walter Mondale, the second-in-command to President Jimmy Carter in the 1970s; both Minnesota predecessors became presidential nominees who lost general elections, and both delivered memorable convention speeches.
Humphrey, Mondale, and Walz all have something else in common: "Deep, loving roots in rural communities and yet the ability and desire to engage with the larger world," said Samuel G. Freedman, author of "Into the Bright Sunshine: Young Hubert Humphrey and the Fight for Civil Rights."
−David Jackson
More:Another Minnesota veep, dontcha know? Tim Walz seeks to follow Humphrey and Mondale
Could Walz family's IVF journey boost Kamala Harris?
Harris' campaign emphasized how Walz and his wife, Gwen, overcame years of fertility challenges to conceive their daughter, Hope, through IVF. This could indicate a strategy for the newly formed ticket.
“Governor Walz and Mrs. Walz struggled with years of fertility challenges and had their daughter, Hope, through reproductive health care like IVF — further cementing his commitment to ensuring all Americans have access to this care,” the Harris campaign said in a statement.
In June, Walz highlighted Sen. J.D. Vance's opposition in the Senate to the Right to IVF Act, which would have expanded nationwide access to fertility treatment.
Walz called Vance’s decision to vote against the bill “a direct attack” on families like his.
“Even if you’ve never gone through the hell of infertility, someone you know has,” he wrote on X. “When Gwen and I were having trouble getting pregnant, the anxiety and frustration blotted out the sun... JD Vance opposing the miracle of IVF is a direct attack on my family and so many others.”
−Jeremy Yurow
More:Harris campaign highlights Tim Walz family's IVF journey
Former students say Walz will 'amp up' the Democratic base
To Minnesotans, Tim Walz is their governor of six years. To Vice President Kamala Harris, he is her newly official 2024 running mate.
But to Nate Hood, he was Coach and Mr. Walz.
"I'm much more excited about the race now that he's involved," Hood, 40, said. "The energy that he's bringing right now to the campaign reminds me of the energy that he would bring to football practice."
“When he wanted to amp up players before a game, he did a great job of it,” Hood, a 2002 graduate of Mankato West High School and a defensive line player at the time, said. “Just like the fiery speeches that you see him give today that might go viral, that's what he was doing. Except he was yelling at a bunch of 16- and 17-year-olds.”
−Savannah Kuchar
More:Mr. Walz to VP Walz? Former students react to seeing their teacher on presidential ticket
Walz to slam Trump as ‘too busy serving himself’ in first remarks as VP nominee
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, picked by Kamala Harris as her running-mate, will say that Donald Trump is “too busy serving himself” in his first remarks since being picked as the Democratic vice presidential nominee.
"Minnesota’s strength comes from our values - our commitment to working together, to seeing past our differences, to lending a helping hand,” Walz will say, according to excerpts from the Harris campaign.
"These same values I learned on the family farm and tried to instill in my students, I took to Congress and the state capital, and now, Vice President Harris and I are running to take them to the White House!”
"Donald Trump - he sees the world differently. He doesn’t know the first thing about service - because he’s too busy serving himself,” Walz plans to say.
−Joey Garrison
More:How Tim Walz became Kamala Harris's running mate – and how he compares with JD Vance
Harris’ pick of Walz leaves Pennsylvania Dems feeling bittersweet
For Pennsylvania Democrats, Vice President Kamala Harris’ pick of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz was a mix of emotions − excitement and intrigue about the new Harris-Walz ticket, yet a little bummed she didn’t choose their home state Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro.
“I was kind of leaning towards Josh Shapiro because he’s from Pennsylvania, and he’s just relatable. I’ve never heard of Tim Walz,” said Robin Reid, 63, of Philadelphia, one of thousands of supporters on hand for a Harris campaign rally in Philadelphia Tuesday night to debut the Walz pick.
“But at the same time, we were afraid of losing Josh Shapiro, so it’s kind of bittersweet,” said Reid, adding that she likes some of things she’s read about Walz.
Terry Moragne-Macon, 75, who joined Reid at the rally, needed to look up Walz to learn about his positions.
More:'Boring' vs 'weird': Trump campaign tries to define Walz after his Vance criticism stuck
“I actually don’t know anything about her running-mate, but I will be doing some research so that I can get ready to talk to people about making sure that we get Harris,” she said.
Trish Callahan, 53, said she sees Walz' appeal. “He can talk to the Midwestern voters so (Republicans) don’t have that talking point that they’re elite lawyers and that kind of thing,” Callahan said, adding: “I mean, I did have a special place in my heart for Shapiro. He is my governor.”
Like many Democrats, Callahan said she has felt reenergized by the race since Harris replaced President Joe Biden as the Democratic standard-bearer.
“I was preparing myself for the worst. And as soon as Biden stopped down and endorsed Kamala, it was like I was resurrected from the dead. I donated. I volunteered,” Callahan said.
−Joey Garrison
Harris shares moment Walz accepted the job: 'I would be honored'
Kamala Harris posted a one-minute clip to social media of the moment she asked Tim Walz to join her on the Democratic ticket Tuesday morning.
"I would be honored Madam Vice President," Walz said over the phone. "The joy that you're bringing back to the country, the enthusiasm that's out there, it'll be a privilege to take this with you across the country."
"I have just the utmost respect for you. I have really enjoyed our work together. You understand our country. You have dedicated yourself to our country in so many different beautiful ways," Harris replied. "We're gonna win and we're gonna unify our country and remind everyone that we are fighting for the future for everyone."
−Rachel Barber
Harris campaign raises $10 million after Walz announcement
The Harris campaign on Tuesday afternoon said it raised more than $10 million from grassroots supporters after Gov. Tim Walz was announced as Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate.The campaign said that fundraising haul made “it one of the campaign's best fundraising days this cycle.”−Rebecca Morin
Trump: Harris-Walz are 'the most radical left duo' ever
Following the day-long lead of aides and allies, Trump issued a statement Tuesday afternoon denouncing the newly minted Harris-Walz ticket as "the most Radical Left duo in American history."
"There has never been anything like it, and there never will be again," Trump said in a Truth Social post.
While Walz has described Trump as "weird," Trump again called Harris "crazy."
He also claimed that "I hear there is a big movement" to bring back Biden, though that will not happen.
−David Jackson
Trump announces an interview with Elon Musk
Trump still hasn't issued a formal statement on Walz's selection - he did criticize him in a text to donors - but the Republican nominee has announced an interview with businessman Elon Musk.
"ON MONDAY NIGHT I’LL BE DOING A MAJOR INTERVIEW WITH ELON MUSK — Details to follow!" Trump said in a Truth Social post.
−David Jackson
Walz releases new video clip hours after vice presidential announcement
In a new video shared on X, formerly Twitter, Walz discusses how community was his way of life growing up and touted his achievements in Congress and as governor.
“But enough about me. Let's talk about you. Because that's what this election is about,” he adds. “It's about your future. It's about your family. And Vice President Harris knows that. She too grew up in a middle class family. She too goes to work every day making sure families cannot just get by, but get ahead.”
“We believe in the promise of America. And those values I learned in Nebraska and we're ready to fight for them. Because as Kamala Harris says, ‘When we fight, we win,’” he added.
−Sudiksha Kochi
Vance said he called Walz to congratulate him
Ohio Sen. JD Vance, Trump’s running mate, said he called Walz to congratulate him on the position on his way to the Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International Airport and ended up leaving a voicemail, according to NBC News.
“I actually called Tim Walz. I left a voicemail,” Vance told reporters. “I didn’t get him, but I just said, ‘Look, congratulations, looking forward to robust conversation and enjoy the ride.’ And maybe he’ll call me back, maybe he won’t.”
−Sudiksha Kochi
When will Tim Walz debate JD Vance?
The exact details of the 2024 vice-presidential debate have yet to be decided. Before President Joe Biden exited the race and Kamala Harris assumed the top spot on the Democratic ticket, the campaign had accepted an invitation from CBS News for a vice-presidential debate on either July 23 or Aug. 13.
At the time, Republican nominee Donald Trump’s campaign said its vice-presidential pick J.D. Vance would wait to agree to proposed dates for a debate until after Democrats finalized their ticket at the party’s national convention, which is scheduled to take place Aug. 19 to 22.
–Rachel Barber
Obama endorses Walz as Harris’ vice presidential pick
Former President Barack Obama said in a statement that Walz doesn’t just have the experience to be a vice president, but “has the values and the integrity to make us proud.”
“Tim's signature is his ability to talk like a human being and treat everyone with decency and respect - not all that surprising considering the fact that he served in the National Guard for 24 years and worked as a high school social studies teacher and football coach before being elected to Congress,” he said.
He added that, “Michelle and I couldn't be happier for Tim and Gwen, their family, and our country."
−Sudiksha Kochi and Mary Walrath-Holdridge
Trump: Walz will unleash ... 'hell on earth'
Trump has issued a reaction to the Walz selection.
From Trump: TIM WALZ WILL UNLEASH HELL ON EARTH!" said a fundraising solicitation texted to supporters "He's already pulling in MILLIONS to WIPE MAGA OUT."
In a statement attached to the text, Trump claimed Walz would "unleash HELL ON EARTH and open our borders to the worst criminals imaginable," as well as "rubber stamp Kamala’s GREEN NEW SCAM and light TRILLIONS of dollars on fire."
On his Truth Social account, Trump offered only a cryptic comment after the Walz selection: "THANK YOU."
-David Jackson
Harris vice presidential contenders react to Walz news
Democrats who were on the list to be Harris’ potential running mate on X, formerly Twitter, congratulated Walz for getting the position.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear wrote that “It was an honor to be considered in this process, but @Tim_Walz is a great friend and a great choice. I fully support this new ticket and will work to elect @KamalaHarris as our next President of the United States.”
Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg wrote that Walz is an “exceptionally effective governor - and also great to work with.”
“ I’m excited for what his Midwestern voice, military experience, and common-sense values will bring to our winning ticket, and for everything the Harris-Walz administration will deliver for Americans,” he wrote.
-- Sudiksha Kochi
National teachers union celebrates Harris' decision
The American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten called Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz an "unabashed champion for public educators and workers" in a statement celebrating Harris' pick Tuesday.
Weingarten said the former high school teacher, football coach, and AFT member has support from one of the largest unions in the country. She applauded his advocacy for increased public school funding, free school meals, and guaranteed unemployment to hourly school workers.
"The AFT's 1.8 million members will stand with Walz and Harris over the next 12 weeks as they campaign to realize the promise and potential of America," she said.
--Rachel Barber
Walz vs. Vance: How do the VP picks stack up?
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, as Harris’ pick for running mate, will now go up against Ohio Sen. JD Vance, the official Republican vice-presidential candidate. The pair are expected to face off directly in a debate, though that event has not yet been scheduled.
Walz, a former teacher, has spent almost two decades in politics as both a congressman and now governor. Vance began his political career in 2022, following fame from his best-selling book, “Hillbilly Elegy.”
The two are opposite on a slew of issues, including abortion, climate change and immigration. But they face a similar challenge in the months leading up to Election Day of making a pitch to voters about why they're the right man for the job – and that their running mate is the right man or woman for the White House.
-- Savannah Kuchar
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‘No Jews allowed’: Conservatives slam Walz pick
Kamala Harris' critics didn’t waste time swarming social media to define her first critical choice of the 2024 presidential campaign as caving to a growing antisemitism on the left stemming from protests against Israel's war in Gaza.
Erick Erickson, a conservative political commentator, said passing up Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, who is Jewish, for Walz can only been viewed in that context.
“No Jews allowed at the top of the Democratic Party,” he said in a post on X.
Former White House press secretary Ari Fleischer suggested Shapiro—who endorsed Harris' choice in a statement Tuesday—go so far as to switch parties.
"It’s time for the Jewish community to recognize the power in the (Democratic) party rests with its anti-Israel progressive base," Fleischer said.
−Phillip M. Bailey
Nancy Pelosi says that Walz is ‘right down the middle’
In an interview with MSNBC News Tuesday, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi argued against concerns that Walz is left.
“Tim Walz is wonderful…Tim Walz, I know very well,” she said. “He served in the House. To characterize him as left is so unreal. It's just not what the…he’s right down the middle. He's a heartland of America Democrat.”
She added that Walz has made “tremendous gains for our veterans” and praised his record in Congress.
“It's mystifying to me to see someone that I worked with, shall we say, right down the middle, characterized on the left in this regard. He has her confidence obviously,” she said.
−Sudiksha Kochi
What Vice Presidents have become president?
The vice presidency can be a steppingstone to the nation's highest office. However, only 15 of the country’s 49 vice presidents have become president. That doesn’t mean others haven’t tried.
Throughout history, 29 have formally sought a party’s presidential nomination but few have managed to get elected — Joe Biden being the most recent one of six. However, nine other vice presidents have ascended to the presidency after a president's resignation, assassination, or illness.
–Rachel Barber
Harris announces VP pick of ‘battle-tested’ Tim Walz official in text message to supporters
Harris made her selection of Walz official in a text message to supporters Tuesday at 10:12 a.m. ET.
“I’m pleased to share that I’ve made my decision: Minnesota Governor Tim Walz will join our campaign as my running mate,” Harris wrote in a fundraising message that asked supporters to pitch in $20 to welcome Walz on the ticket. “Tim is a battle-tested leader who has an incredible track record of getting things done for Minnesota families. I know that he will bring that same principled leadership to our campaign, and to the office of the vice president,” Harris said.
−Joey Garrison
Is Minnesota a swing state?
Minnesota is not considered a swing state. It has typically leaned Democratic, being the only state to vote blue every four years for presidential elections since 1976.
“Minnesota has generally been a safe state for Democrats, so it is less critical than Pennsylvania or Arizona, but it has been trending more competitive over the last few elections,” said James Riddlesperger, a professor of political science at Texas Christian University.
-- Sudiksha Kochi
AOC: ‘Let’s do this’
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., praised Vice President Kamala Harris’ vice presidential pick on X, formerly Twitter.
“Vice President Harris made an excellent decision in Gov. Walz as her running mate,” she wrote. “Together, they will govern effectively, inclusively, and boldly for the American people. They won’t back down under tight odds, either - from healthcare to school lunch. Let’s do this.”
-- Sudiksha Kochi
Trump allies borrow Walz's description of them: "Weird"
Allies of Donald Trump are now busy trying to cast Walz as an out-of-touch "liberal" and "socialist" - and also using the word that Walz has applied to Trump and running mate JD Vance: "Weird."
"What could be weirder than signing a bill requiring schools to stock tampons in boys' bathrooms?" said the "MAGA War Room" site on the X social media platform. "Or weirder than signing legislation allowing minors to receive sex change operations?"
Make America Great Again, a pro-Trump political action committee, cast Walz as an "incompetent liberal," citing his handling of disturbances in Minneapolis after the police killing of George Floyd, legislation on sex-change operations for minors, college tuition programs for minors, and a fraud case involving a federal hunger program.
No word yet from Trump himself.
-David Jackson
Born and raised in Nebraska
Born and raised in rural Nebraska by a public school administrator and a community activist, Walz spent summers working on his family farm before enlisting in the Army National Guard at 17.
He spent the next quarter century serving his country while holding down a series of positions as a school teacher – first at a Native American reservation in South Dakota, then overseas in China, then back home in Nebraska and finally in Minnesota, where he and his family relocated in 1996.
Walz decided to run for office a decade later, in 2006, seeking to represent a staunchly Republican-held district in the southern part of the state.
His win against the six-term incumbent came as somewhat of a surprise to political observers, but Walz proved a popular candidate who styled himself as a plain-spoken moderate able to connect with the district’s mostly rural voters.
Walz’s ability to bridge the tricky divide between progressive policies and conservative values resonated with his constituents, who elected him to serve five additional terms in Congress. It’s also a talent the Harris campaign will seek to wield as it crisscrosses the nation in an effort to sway voters of all stripes – especially those with conservative leanings in swing states.
During his tenure, Walz sat on the House Agriculture Committee, Committee on Veterans' Affairs and the Armed Services Committee, and proved a solid supporter of key Democratic issues – voting, for example, to raise the federal minimum wage, protect abortion rights and advance the Affordable Care Act.
His affable personality and penchant for public service propelled Walz’s political rise from Congress to the governor’s mansion.
Walz entered the gubernatorial race in 2018 after then-Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton chose not to seek reelection, and he defeated his Republican challenger by a wide margin. He easily won re-election four years later, alongside Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, a member of the White Earth Nation of Ojibwe.
Walz raised $11.6 million in his 2022 reelection campaign and $5.3 million in his first gubernatorial campaign in 2018, campaign finance records show.
George Floyd's murder puts spotlight on Minnesota
With a slim Democratic majority in Minnesota’s House and Senate, Walz during his two terms has been able to usher into law several progressive measures sure to appeal to liberal voters nationwide.
In the 2023 legislative session alone, he and his Democratic allies accomplished major policy goals, including restoring voting rights to people convicted of felonies post-incarceration, expanding paid family and medical leave for Minnesota workers and providing universal free meals for public school students.
The school meal bill Walz signed ensures that every student can receive breakfast and lunch for no cost, part of an effort to reduce childhood food insecurity. Its cost – estimated at $400 million over the first few years and increasing over time – sparked opposition from some Republican lawmakers.
“The haves and the have-nots in the school lunchroom is not a necessary thing,” Walz said during a press conference at the time defending the measure. “Just feed our children.”
His tenure has not been without controversy, though.
Walz received intense local and national backlash for his failure to control the unrest sparked by the police murder of George Floyd and the destructive riots that ensued.
Floyd’s murder by Derek Chauvin catapulted Minneapolis into the national spotlight, acting as a microcosm of racial justice reform in the 21st century and public pressure to address police brutality.
Some protests turned violent as demonstrators vandalized and destroyed public property, including burning down the Minneapolis Police Department’s 3rd precinct. Estimates total over half a billion dollars in damages. Walz activated the National Guard.
Chauvin was later convicted of Floyd’s murder, among other charges related to his death, as were three other officers.
Walz also faced criticism for a massive $250 million post-pandemic-relief fraud scheme by a Minnesota-based nonprofit, Feeding Our Future and Partners in Nutrition, that was meant to feed children in need.
Over 70 defendants have been charged in connection to what prosecutors have called the biggest pandemic-fraud scheme in the nation, with seven people already tried and five found guilty.
Walz accepted responsibility for the lack of fraud protection and proper oversight at the state's Department of Education under his administration after a scathing legislative audit was released.
These things could come back to haunt Walz on the campaign trail as he and Harris seek to tout their public safety and government spending bona fides.
Reproductive rights – and a personal struggle
Perhaps Walz’s biggest advantage to the campaign is his track record as a bulwark of women’s rights. Through the years, Walz has used his position to protect access to reproductive care in Minnesota and beyond.
After the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, Minnesota became the first state to codify abortion rights via the state legislature.
The Protection of Reproductive Options Act, which Walz signed in January 2023, enshrines women’s rights to reproductive freedom without interference from politicians.
One year later, during a roundtable event with members of Planned Parenthood, Walz called Minnesota an “island of decency” that welcomes women from other states seeking abortions.
Since the bill’s passage, Minnesota has seen an influx of out-of-state patients seeking care.
And during his 2024 State of the State address, Walz briefly disclosed his own family’s painful struggle to conceive and their use of in vitro fertilization, a procedure that has come under attack in the conservative movement to restrict reproductive freedom.
“Your personal decisions about your family are no one’s business but your own,” he said at the time. “You have my pledge as long as I am governor, IVF will continue to offer a lifeline of hope for Minnesota families.”
National experience
Walz gained national exposure when he was named co-chair of the president’s Council of Governors in 2021. In 2023, he was elected chair of the Democratic Governors Association, where he was a part of critical talks concerning Biden’s fitness for office just weeks before the octogenarian ended his campaign.
And this spring he was elected as co-chair of the Democratic National Convention rules committee.
Walz joined the Biden-Harris campaign in Milwaukee in mid-July during the Republican National Convention. While there, he criticized his now-vice presidential opponent, Vance, the Ohio senator, on his abortion stance and small-town roots.
Vance said in a January 2022 podcast while he was running for the U.S. Senate that he “certainly would like abortion to be illegal nationally,” a comment he has since tried to walk back by aligning with Trump's recent statement that abortion should be a state issue.
Walz reiterated his criticism of Vance on social media the same week.
“I grew up in a small town. JD Vance is dead wrong about what makes small-town America tick. Small towns don’t work because everyone is closed-minded and prejudiced,” he wrote in a post on X, formerly Twitter. “They work because people mind their own damn business. JD Vance seems to have a real problem minding his.”
Details of his personal life
Walz holds a bachelor’s degree in social science education from Chadron State College in Nebraska and a master’s of science degree in educational leadership from Minnesota State University Mankato.
In addition to being a veteran and a school teacher, Walz served as a high school football coach and led his team to win its first state championship.
He is married to Minnesota First Lady Gwen Walz, also a former educator, and has two children, Hope and Gus.
Walz’s current term ends in 2026. If Harris and Walz win this November, the governor would have to resign from his current office and Flanagan would serve out the remainder of his term.
In being picked for the ticket by Harris, Walz beat out several other high-profile politicians considered by the campaign. Among them were Generation X governors Andy Beshear of Kentucky and Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan; swing state allies like U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona and Gov. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania; seasoned pros like Gov. Roy Cooper of North Carolina; billionaire businessman and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker; as well as rising political star U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.
Sam Woodward is an election reporting fellow for USA TODAY. You can reach her at swoodward@gannett.com or on X @woodyreports.
Contributing: Suhail Bhat and Chris Quintana, USA TODAY