Walz accepts offer to be running mate for Harris in 2024 election
Vice President Kamala Harris has chosen Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate in the 2024 presidential race – and he has accepted the role.
Walz was one of three vice presidential finalists who reportedly met with Harris over the weekend, along with Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly.
Outlets broke the news shortly after 7:30 a.m. Tuesday, and Harris made the pick official on social media shortly before 9:30 a.m. CT. Walz posted shortly after, saying “It is the honor of a lifetime to join @kamalaharris in this campaign. I’m all in.”
President Joe Biden praised Harris’ pick in a lengthy post, calling Walz a “strong, principled, and effective leader.”
Walz rose to national prominence in recent weeks when he began describing former President Donald Trump and other Republicans “weird” — a talking point now being employed by several other Democrats.
Early Tuesday morning, state DFL leaders issued a statement on the announcement:
“The entire country is about to see why their friends from Minnesota can’t stop bragging about Governor Walz. By picking a servant leader born and raised in a small town who has dedicated his career to protecting freedoms and lifting up working families, Vice President Harris has chosen the perfect foil for JD Vance and his politics of resentment. Under Governor Walz’s leadership, Minnesota has built a model for how Democrats across the nation can both win elections and improve people’s lives. We could not be more excited to help bring the Minnesota magic to this campaign and put Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in the White House.”
DFL Chair Ken Martin
Walz first ran for public office in 2006, flipping a Republican congressional district in southern Minnesota. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives for 12 years before he was twice elected as governor in 2018 and 2022. Born in Nebraska, Walz moved to Minnesota in 1996 to teach social studies and coach football at Mankato West High School. He also served 24 years in the Army National Guard.
On Tuesday, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison issued the following statement on Walz being selected as Harris’ running mate and noted their time together in Congress.
“Tim Walz and I were elected to Congress together in 2006 and statewide office together in 2018. We have worked alongside one another for almost 20 years, so I can say with confidence that there is no better choice for Vice President of the United States of America,” Ellison said. “Tim has the courage of a veteran, the compassion of a school teacher, the grit of a football coach, and the experience of both a congressman and governor.”
Walz’s selection for vice president could boost Democrats’ polling in Midwestern swing states like Michigan and Wisconsin, which could prove pivotal in deciding the general election.
If the Harris-Walz ticket succeeds, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan will take Walz’s place, becoming the first woman and the first Native American to serve as governor in Minnesota. State Senate President Bobby Joe Champion, DFL-Minneapolis, would then become lieutenant governor.
Flanagan on Tuesday tweeted her support for the Harris-Walz campaign.
Stay with 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS as we work to bring you the latest updates on this developing story.