Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz will be in a bigger spotlight than ever before when he takes the stage Wednesday night in Chicago to formally accept the Democratic Party nomination to run for vice president. He would become the third Minnesotan to run for vice president on a major party ticket.

“We’re really good at raising vice presidents and growing vice presidents in Minnesota,” jokes Minnesota Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan. “We take seconds-in-command very seriously: Hubert Humphrey, Walter Mondale and now Tim Walz.”

Of course, Walz has a ways to go before he can join the likes of Humphrey and Mondale. But if he does get elected vice president, Flanagan will also make history by becoming Minnesota’s first female governor and the first female Native American governor in the nation.

However, Flanagan isn’t getting ahead of herself.

“I’m going to focus on the next 76 days making sure that Kamala Harris and Tim Walz get elected,” she told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS in Chicago on Wednesday. “But the work of state government always continues, and I feel like we’ve laid a really strong foundation for whatever comes next.”

Flanagan’s rise to political prominence is considered meteoric by many, considering she was a political newcomer and first-time DNC delegate at the 2004 convention in Boston at the age of 24. She stood alongside former Vice President Walter Mondale as he delivered the delegation’s votes for John Kerry.

Flanagan says 20 years ago she never imagined she’d be in the position she is now.

“Absolutely not! But I think it is really the beauty of this party, the beauty of Minnesota, investing in people and continuing that work of organizing over the last 20 years to get here,” Flanagan said.

Now she’s excited to see Gov. Walz introduce himself to the nation Wednesday night.

“It has absolutely been a whirlwind,” she says. “But so exciting! I am over the moon that Gov. Tim Walz — my partner in governing and my friend — is now on the campaign trail with Kamala Harris. We will see coach Walz, we will see teacher Walz, we will see Gov. Walz, we will see veteran Walz and we will see the makings of a Vice President Walz.”