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Ray Bogan Political Correspondent
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U.S. Elections

Harris chooses Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to be her running mate

Ray Bogan Political Correspondent
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Vice President Kamala Harris selected Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to be her running mate. Walz is currently serving in his second term as governor. He is also the head of the Democratic Governors Association and a former six-term congressman from a purple district. 

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When the news broke, the official announcement had not been made; Harris’ choice was leaked to the media by multiple anonymous sources. She made it official about an hour and a half after the press reports with a post on X.

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Walz was born in Nebraska, joined the Army National Guard right out of high school and ultimately became a high school teacher and coach.

During his time as governor, Walz implemented free school meals for students, put his state on a path to using 100% clean electricity by 2040 and expanded paid leave.

Walz made headlines in July during a “White Dudes for Harris” virtual fundraiser that more than 190,000 people attended. He had the line of the night which put what Democrats believe is at stake into focus.

“How often in a hundred days do you get to change the trajectory of the world?” Walz said. “How often in a hundred days do you get to do something that’s going to impact generations to come? And how often in the world do you make that bastard wake up afterwards and know that a Black woman kicked his a–, sent him on the road?”

Walz is also one of the original people to describe former President Donald Trump and his running mate J.D. Vance as “weird,” a term that stuck and became a speaking point for elected Democrats and pundits alike.

Minnesota is not a swing state that Harris needs help winning, she would have taken the deep blue state with or without him on the ticket. Minnesota does, however, neighbor Michigan and Wisconsin. Those two states are part of what has historically been called the “blue wall.” The two states also largely decided both the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections.

Walz will make an appearance with Harris in Philadelphia during a rally on the evening of Tuesday, Aug. 6, before the two head off on a campaign blitz.

The seven-city, five-day tour will include stops in Eau Claire, Wisconsin; Detroit; Durham, North Carolina; Savannah, Georgia, Phoenix; and Las Vegas. The new team will stop at historically Black colleges and universities, union halls and restaurants, among other venues.

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