As a well-placed candidate who has demonstrated his ability to connect with white voters in rural areas, Mr. Walz has been a strong advocate for progressive programs.
A former educator and member of the United States Army National Guard, Tim Walz has gained widespread attention for his use of the epithet “weird” to describe both Donald Trump and JD Vance. The Harris campaign has taken a liking to this insult.
However, at this point, they have completely embraced the governor of Minnesota, and they have included him on the presidential ticket.
Mr. Walz may not have the same profile as other candidates for vice president, but he is well-positioned and has a demonstrated ability to connect with people who live in rural areas and are white. As a defender of progressive causes, he has advocated for the provision of free school meals and the expansion of paid leave for workers.
He also signed into law the so-called Taylor Swift bill, which was the result of a senator’s dissatisfaction over not being able to get tickets to Swift’s concert in Minneapolis in 2023. Ticket vendors are required by law to disclose all fees in advance, and resellers are prohibited from selling more than one copy of a ticket for live events that take place in the state of Minnesota.
In addition, despite the fact that Minnesota is a state that is overwhelmingly Democratic, it is located in close proximity to Wisconsin and Michigan, two states that are considered to be critical battlegrounds. In the year 2020, the state of Minnesota voted for Biden and Harris with a margin that was rather comfortable, while the state of Wisconsin voted for the president by a margin of only 0.63%.
Mr. Walz, 60, was born and reared in a tiny town in Nebraska. He is currently an Ivy League graduate, but he previously attended state institutions in Minnesota and Nebraska.
He worked as a teacher in China, Nebraska, and Minnesota, teaching geography and coaching the high school football team. In addition, he spent 24 years in the Army National Guard. This down-to-earth, home-spun attitude has helped Trump connect with average Americans.
Former Senator Heidi Heitkamp described him as “someone with a lived experience that is so comparable to so many of the people in rural America.”.
Mr. Walz was an early advocate of LGBT rights, serving as the faculty advisor for his school’s first gay-straight alliance in 1999, even before Democrats publicly backed gay rights.
He initially ran for government in 2006 in a Republican-leaning congressional district, defeating the incumbent in an upset and winning the seat for 10 years. He stood for governor in 2018 and won, and he will successfully defend his seat again in 2022.
Mr. Walz, co-chair of the Democratic National Convention’s rules committee, remained a strong supporter of President Biden despite his weak performance in the June debate.
Mr. Walz has been described as having the “most progressive record” among Ms. Harris’ potential running mates.
His accomplishments include assuring tuition-free meals at participating state universities, establishing abortion rights as state law, prohibiting conversion therapy, and protecting gender-affirming healthcare.
When asked about this on television, he responded, “What a monster! Children are eating and feeling full, so they can go to school. Women make their own healthcare decisions. And we are a top five business state, as well as one of the top three in terms of happiness.”