Kamala Harris' Vice President Pick: Minnesota Governor Tim Walz

Tim Walz joined Kamala Harris' campaign Tuesday as the Democratic nominee's running mate in the 2024 presidential election.

Walz is the Democratic governor of Minnesota, having first been elected in 2018 and later reelected in 2022. He grew up in Nebraska and enlisted in the Army National Guard after graduating from high school. He went on to attend Chadron State College and has worked as a high school social studies teacher and football coach. Walz also served six terms as a representative in the U.S. Senate.

Harris confirmed her pick in a statement, which reads as follows:

I am proud to announce that I've asked Tim Walz to be my running mate.

One of the things that stood out to me about Tim is how his convictions on fighting for middle class families run deep. It's personal.

He grew up in a small town in Nebraska, spending summers working on his family's farm. His father died of cancer when he was 19, and his family relied on Social Security survivor benefit checks to make ends meet. At 17, he enlisted in the National Guard, serving for 24 years. He used his GI Bill benefits to go to college, and become a teacher. He served as both the football coach and the advisor of the Gay-Straight Alliance.

I share this background both because it's impressive in its own right, and because you see in no uncertain terms how it informs his record. He worked with Republicans to pass infrastructure investments. He cut taxes for working families. He passed a law to provide paid family and medical leave to Minnesotan families.

He made Minnesota the first state in the country to pass a law providing constitutional abortion protections after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, and as an avid hunter, he passed a bill requiring universal background checks for gun purchases.

But what impressed me most about Tim is his deep commitment to his family: Gwen, Gus, and Hope. Doug and I look forward to working with him and Gwen to build an administration that reflects our shared values.

Whether you are a supporter, a volunteer, a donor, a member of our staff, or your name is on the ticket: you are part of the people-powered campaign that is going to defeat Donald Trump.

We are going to build a great partnership. We are going to build a great team. We are going to win this election.

So let's get to work. 

Harris was the Democratic vice presidential nominee, running alongside President Joe Biden, until Biden withdrew from the race in July. The announcement came several weeks after his catastrophic debate against former President Donald Trump, who is running as the Republican candidate; Biden's poor performance led to widespread calls for him to withdraw.

Biden announced his decision in a statement posted on X, writing, "It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President. And while it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term." In a subsequent X post, Biden formally endorsed Harris as the Democratic Party's new nominee.

A few days later, Biden addressed the American people from the Oval Office. "Nothing, nothing can come in the way of saving our democracy, and that includes personal ambition," he said, adding: "The defense of democracy is more important than any title."

Harris officially secured the nomination during a virtual roll call Monday, earning the support of 99% of the 4,567 delegates who cast ballots, according to The New York Times. She is the first woman of color to win a major party's nomination.