United Auto Workers (UAW) — a union with a million active and retired members — is getting behind Vice President Kamala Harris’ newly unveiled choice for running mate in this year’s general election: Minnesota Democratic Governor Tim Walz.
Walz became known in recent years for helping spearhead the implementation of a raft of progressive policy in Minnesota, like the establishment of universal free school lunches. Walz and Democrats were greatly empowered by the party taking unified control of the Minnesota state legislature in the 2022 elections, and among other advancements, Walz also signed gun safety measures into law including an expansion of background check requirements for transferring firearms.
“Tim Walz doesn’t just talk the talk, he walks the walk. From delivering for working-class Americans to standing with the UAW on our picket line last year, we know which side he’s on. That’s why we’re going to send @KamalaHarris and @Tim_Walz to the White House this November,” UAW said on social media on Tuesday.
The union had already endorsed Harris ahead of a planned trek by the Harris campaign to Michigan this week. That’s taking place on Wednesday.
“Our job in this election is to defeat Donald Trump and elect Kamala Harris to build on her proven track record of delivering for the working class,” UAW President Shawn Fain said. “We stand at a crossroads in this country. We can put a billionaire back in office who stands against everything our union stands for, or we can elect Kamala Harris who will stand shoulder to shoulder with us in our war on corporate greed.”
On Tuesday, Harris, Walz, and others will be campaigning in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a major city in a state that became central to the outcome of the 2020 presidential election that put President Joe Biden in the White House. Pennsylvania Democratic Governor Josh Shapiro, who was himself under consideration to be Harris’ running mate, will join them.
