After much buzz surrounding Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro as the stronger vice presidential candidate and his popularity both within the Democratic Party and in the all-important swing state, Harris’ choice of vice presidential candidate instead landed on Minnesota’s 60-year-old Governor Tim Walz – a down-to-earth politician from the Midwest.
Tim Walz has been a relatively unknown name until now, most recently known for his disarming way of dismissing both Trump and his running mate JD Vance as “weird” — that they’re shady, plain and simple.
Walz got his start in politics in 2006 in Minnesota and spent 12 years in Congress before being elected governor in 2018, and re-elected in 2022. As a politician, he has a progressive resume and has helped Democrats pass, among other things, the legalization of marijuana, requirements for sick – and parental leave for employees and stricter background checks on gun purchases. With roots in the Midwest, he brings a popular recognition factor to working-class people in the Rust Belt unlike the Oakland-born Harris who could potentially be seen as a politician from an entirely different world — the progressive West Coast — even if she is politically more of the center than the left.
Former military – and owns weapons
But Walz brings another important advantage, and that is that he can appeal to Republican voters, especially those who do not want to vote for Trump. A 24-year veteran of the service and a gun owner, a sign of patriotism important to Republicans, Walz’s liberal history has been much talked about, but he’s more balanced than that. Like Trump, he also has an authenticity and speaks straight and in simple terms — and the fact that he looks like a cozy uncle from the Midwest doesn’t hurt.
Harris sacrificed Shapiro and Pennsylvania and instead targeted the broader mass and northern wave master states with Walz. Today they kick off their multi-day campaign, hitting swing states to secure those oh-so-critical votes. And for those who would miss a Biden-like figure in the White House, Walz’s more mature face, white hair and soft gaze may be a small consolation.
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