Meet Tim Walz: Minnesota Governor and Kamala Harris’s Running Mate

Kamala Harris announced her running mate Tuesday morning ahead of her campaign in battleground states.

ST PAUL, Minn. — Vice President Kamala Harris selected Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate for the upcoming presidential election. This decision follows Walz’s tenure as governor during times of significant crisis, including a global pandemic and civil unrest.

“You know, I’m not interviewing for anything; I just am who I am and put it out there,” Walz said at a recent press conference, addressing speculation about his VP candidacy.

Walz grew up in a small Nebraska town before joining the Army National Guard at 17. His service lasted 24 years, parallel to a teaching career that led him to Minnesota in 1996. There, he met his wife, Gwen, who is also a teacher.

“I will just say this: I don’t know if every high school geography teacher expects to be in this position at some point,” said Walz, reflecting on his unconventional path to politics.

Walz began his political journey in 2006, winning a congressional seat in Minnesota’s First Congressional District. He unseated a longtime incumbent and served for 12 years.

In 2018, he ran for governor with a “One Minnesota” theme, making history by selecting State Rep. Peggy Flanagan, a member of the White Earth Ojibwe Nation, as his running mate. Walz eventually defeated his opponent, Jeff Johnson, to become governor.

As governor, Walz focused on education, childcare, and housing reforms. “Minnesotans and communities, mayors — like [Bloomington] Mayor [Tim] Busse — legislators … have put Minnesota on the map for policies that are improving people’s lives,” he said.

Walz’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and George Floyd’s murder brought both praise and criticism. He pursued aggressive testing and vaccinations but faced backlash for school and business closures. Delays in deploying the National Guard also drew scrutiny.

“When you’re serving in the moment on these things, on anything, I think you go back and look. Decisions were made in a situation that is what it is, and I simply believe that we tried to do the best we can in each of those,” Walz remarked.

In 2022, Walz won re-election against Dr. Scott Jensen. He leveraged the state’s Democratic leadership to enact significant policies, including stronger abortion rights, gun control, banning conversion therapy, restoring voting rights to felons, legalizing cannabis, and providing universal free school meals.

“People will make their decisions. I have a record in Minnesota that’s extensive, and I think people take a look at that, they will make their decision on what they think is best for ‘em,” Walz stated.

Regarding the qualities of a vice-presidential candidate, Walz said, “I want to see that person, first and foremost, do what is compatible with whatever the vice president wants. And just to be candid, to put a ticket together that wins in November and continues to implement the policies that we’ve seen out of this administration.”

Commenting on Trump’s actions, Walz advised, “When someone tells you who they are, believe them.”