In a decision that ends intense speculation over which candidate she would pick to go up against Donald Trump and JD Vance, Kamala Harris, has named Tim Walz, the Governor of Minnesota, as her running mate ahead of the November election.

Some political commentators had suggested that, as the first woman of colour nominated by a major party, Harris was mostly likely to pick a white man to balance the ticket.

Walz, who was elected Governor of Minnesota in 2018 and won re-election in 2022, would bring to the presidential ticket a record of defeating Republicans in a Midwestern state.

The 60-year-old U.S. Army National Guard veteran and former teacher was elected to a Republican-leaning 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 has pushed a progressive agenda that includes free school meals, goals for tackling climate change, tax cuts for the middle class and expanded paid leave for Minnesota workers.

Walz has long advocated for women’s reproductive rights.

Minnesota Democratic Strategist, Abu Amara noted that Walz will be a good surrogate for Harris across the upper Midwest, because he represented a rural U.S. House district but won statewide in a state with large metropolitan and suburban areas.

“He’s not trying to speak in poetry. He speaks in practicality,” Amara said, adding, “That’s a level of accessibility for so many voters.”

“He has the ability to connect with rural, suburban and urban voters,” he said.

Manish Bapna, President and CEO of the NRDC Action Fund, the political arm of the Natural Resources Defense Council, called Harris and Walz “the winning ticket on climate.”

“The Harris-Walz administration will be ready, on day one, to build on the strongest climate action ever and lead by example in the global fight against the existential challenge of our time.”
Manish Bapna

Bapna added that Walz has made Minnesota a national climate leader.

Under his leadership, the state committed to 100% clean energy by 2040, and Minnesota was the first Midwestern state to adopt California’s strict tailpipe emissions standards.

Walz also signed a bill last year directing $240 million to replace lead service water lines statewide.

“The stakes in this election couldn’t be higher nor the choice more clear. Trump would bow to billionaire oil and gas donors, slam climate progress into reverse and leave our kids to pay the price.

“Harris is a proven climate and justice leader with two decades of public service on the front lines of needed progress and change. She’s shown us what leadership looks like, and she’s earned the chance to lead.”
Manish Bapna

Trump Campaign Slams Walz

Trump’s campaign slammed Walz as a left-wing radical.

“If Walz won’t tell voters the truth, we will: just like Kamala Harris, Tim Walz is a dangerously liberal extremist,” Karoline Leavitt, Trump’s Campaign Press Secretary, said in a statement.

Walz has previously attacked Trump and Vance as “weird”, a catchy insult that has been picked up by the Harris campaign, social media and Democratic activists.

Also, Donald Trump sent a fundraising email calling Walz “Dangerously Liberal” and saying that he would “unleash HELL ON EARTH.”

The former President and Republican nominee said that Walz would be the worst Vice President in history, claiming that the Minnesota Governor would “light TRILLIONS of dollars on fire” and open U.S. borders to criminals.

“HE’S THAT BAD,” the email read.

Moreover, Florida Governor, Ron DeSantis called it the “most left-wing ticket in American history” and accused Walz of not doing enough to protect Minnesota during the 2020 protests over the killing of George Floyd.

He said, “Walz sat by and let Minneapolis burn.”