Kamala Harris taps Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as VP running mate

By Edelia J. Carthan, Ed.D.,
Contributing Writer,

Vice President Kamala Harris announced Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate Tuesday. Walz joined Harris at a rally in Philadelphia, PA that evening, kicking off a tour through key battleground states.
“We’ve got some work to do. We need to move to the general election and win that,” the vice president said Tuesday to cheers in a raucous Philadelphia university arena as she introduced her running mate. “We also need to level-set, we are the underdog in this race. … I know what we are up against.”
As the crowd chanted, “Lock him up” about the once-convicted GOP nominee Trump, Harris stopped them. “It’s not just a campaign against Donald Trump,” she said. “It’s a fight for a future … with affordable housing, affordable child care, paid leave. … The freedom to vote, the freedom to be safe against gun violence … and the freedom of a woman’s right to make decisions about her own body, not having the government tell her what to do.”
Harris described Walz as her ideal campaigning and governing partner, noting his time as a teacher, football coach, National Guard veteran, and a “model chief executive who” she contended “will be ready on Day One.” She added: “In 91 days, America will know coach Walz by another name, vice president of the United States.”
Meanwhile, Senator JD Vance of Ohio, former President Donald Trump’s running mate, also held a rally in Philadelphia Tuesday, just hours before Harris’s event. Vance plans to follow Harris and Walz, rallying supporters in the same cities they visit this week.
Key Primaries Underway

Tuesday marked primary day in Kansas, Michigan, Missouri and Washington. Among the notable contests were challenges to Democratic Rep. Cori Bush of Missouri, a “squad” member, and Rep. Dan Newhouse of Washington, a Republican who voted to impeach Trump.
Walz will be added to the ticket just in time for the primaries. He is the third Minnesotan to be chosen for a Democratic ticket in the last 60 years.
Lyndon Johnson won with sitting Vice President Hubert Humphrey in 1964, following President John F. Kennedy’s assassination. In 1976, Jimmy Carter picked another Minnesota senator, Walter Mondale, as his running mate, and they also secured the White House.
In a recent interview on MSNBC’s “Inside With Jen Psaki,” Walz shared how he and his wife, Gwen, embraced IVF fertility treatments to start their family. “Thank God for IVF – my wife and I have two beautiful children,” said Walz. The couple’s daughter, Hope, was born after seven years of fertility treatments. “It’s not by chance that we named our daughter Hope,” Walz noted.
Walz has been vocal in his criticism of JD Vance’s stance on reproductive rights. Vance was one of the Senate Republicans who blocked a Democratic-led bill in June that aimed to protect IVF at a federal level. Vance has also faced backlash for his 2021 remarks about “childless cat ladies” running the country, which he later claimed were sarcastic. Walz frequently refers to Vance as “weird.”
Harris Responds with Confidence and Good Humor
Harris has responded to recent criticisms with confidence and good humor. When Trump wavered in a Fox News interview Monday night about whether he would debate Harris on TV, she made lighthearted fun of the disparaging things Trump has said about her, teasing him with the retort, “If you got something to say, say it to my face.” Her supporters at the Atlanta rally erupted in cheers and laughter.
“I call her ‘laughing Kamala,’” former President Donald Trump said at a rally in Michigan on July 24. “Have you ever watched her laugh? She is crazy. You can tell a lot by a laugh… She is nuts.” If you pay attention, Trump never speaks to the issues but attacks other people’s character.
Democratic Unity and Support
Vice President Kamala Harris has secured enough Democratic delegates to become her party’s nominee against Republican Donald Trump, according to an Associated Press survey. Top Democrats have rallied around her following President Joe Biden’s decision to drop his bid for reelection.
The swift unification behind Harris reflects the party’s effort to move past weeks of internal drama over Biden’s political future and focus on defeating Trump with less than 100 days until Election Day. Prominent Democratic elected officials, party leaders and political organizations quickly endorsed Harris. Her campaign set a new 24-hour record for presidential donations Monday, highlighting the momentum behind her candidacy.
Focus on Women’s Rights
Women’s rights and abortion have emerged as central issues in this election, especially after the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Vice President Harris has been a strong advocate for women’s reproductive rights throughout her career. Selecting Walz as her running mate strengthens their position on this critical issue, as their opponents hold extreme stances on abortion and IVF. Walz’s commitment to reproductive rights aligns with Harris’s efforts, presenting a united front against restrictive policies promoted by their rivals.
Tim Walz’s Background and Achievements
According to the Minnesota Office of the Governor, Tim Walz is Minnesota’s 41st governor. First elected in 2018 and re-elected in 2022, his accomplishments include providing universal free school meals for students, protecting reproductive freedom, strengthening voting rights, and laying the groundwork to achieve 100% clean electricity by 2040. He has also cut taxes for the middle class and expanded paid leave for Minnesota workers. Walz has prioritized making Minnesota the best state in the country to raise a family.
Born in a small town in rural Nebraska, Walz’s values of public service, generosity, and working for the common good guide his commitment to Minnesota today. After high school, he enlisted in the Army National Guard, attended Chadron State College, and graduated with a social science degree in 1989. Walz spent a year teaching abroad before returning home to serve full-time in the Army National Guard and later became a high school teacher and coach.
While teaching, he met his future wife, Gwen Whipple, and they moved to Mankato in 1996, where they worked at Mankato West High School. In addition to teaching social studies, Walz coached the Mankato West football team to its first state championship. After 24 years in the Army National Guard, Command Sergeant Major Walz retired from the 1-125th Field Artillery Battalion in 2005. He won his first election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2006 and served six terms representing Minnesota’s First Congressional District.
Walz Sends a Message: Game On
If Republicans were wondering what Walz would bring to the ticket, he sent them a clear message: Game on. The folksy, plain-speaking former high school teacher, football coach, and 24-year veteran smiled as he delivered devastating one-liners. “And I got to tell you, I can’t wait to debate the guy,” Walz said. “That is if he’s willing to get off the couch and show up.”
When Walz told Republicans to “mind your own damn business” regarding reproductive rights and the overturning of Roe v. Wade, the crowd erupted in chants of “Mind your own damn business!” The rally at Temple University, attended by 12,000 roaring Harris supporters, was electric and filled with memorable moments. Walz’s direct and passionate approach resonated strongly with the audience, setting the tone for the campaign ahead.
Republican Endorsements for Harris
In a surprising turn, Republicans for Harris have launched a GOP group with endorsements from ex-Trump officials and key Republican voices. Olivia Troye, a former national security adviser to Mike Pence, called on her former boss to endorse Harris’s presidential run. Troye, now a vocal critic of the Trump administration, told MSNBC it would be an “amazing dream” if Pence supported Harris, who recently became the presumptive Democratic nominee.