Vice President Kamala Harris has announced Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate for the 2024 presidential election. This decision comes after Harris succeeded President Biden as the Democratic nominee. The official announcement is set for Tuesday, with Harris and Walz making their debut together at a campaign event in Philadelphia later that evening.
Tim Walz, who has served as Minnesota’s governor since 2018, brings a background in the Army National Guard and a decade in the U.S. House of Representatives. His selection has sparked significant debate. Critics, including Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, have denounced Walz as the “most left-wing” choice, citing his handling of the 2020 George Floyd protests in Minneapolis, where he faced criticism for his response to the violence.
Walz’s tenure has also been marked by controversies such as the mishandling of COVID-19 relief efforts, including an unused $5 million refrigerated warehouse and a $250 million fraud scheme involving federal funds. Despite these issues, Democrats hope that Walz’s centrist appeal will enhance Harris’s ticket. Walz won his re-election by a substantial margin, outperforming Hillary Clinton’s 2016 results in Minnesota.
The selection process for Harris’s running mate was expedited by recent changes in Democratic nomination rules, which required a swift decision following Biden’s campaign suspension. Harris initially considered several candidates, including Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, Arizona Senator Mark Kelly, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. Some, like Whitmer and Kelly, declined the offer, with Kelly’s recent social media activity suggesting he was no longer a contender.
The Democratic Party has quickly consolidated around Harris after Biden’s endorsement, with notable figures like California Governor Gavin Newsom expressing support, though he was ineligible due to state geographic constraints.
Harris’s campaign is targeting key battleground states such as Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Georgia, Arizona, and Nevada. The campaign is counting on Walz’s appeal to bolster Harris’s support in these crucial areas.
Following Tuesday’s announcement, Harris and Walz will embark on a nationwide tour to engage voters in swing states. They will face competition from Trump’s vice presidential pick, JD Vance, with a potential debate between Walz and Vance expected, although specific dates and details are yet to be determined.
