Vice President Kamala Harris, who is now Democrats’ presidential election torchbearer for 2024, has selected Minnesota Democratic Governor Tim Walz as her running mate — and the two are set to swiftly kick off a new round of campaigning, starting with a Tuesday stop in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Walz became known in recent years for helping spearhead the implementation of a raft of progressive policy in his state after Democrats took unified control of the Minnesota legislature and governorship in the 2022 elections.
And as a motorcade ferrying Walz to what it appeared would eventually be Pennsylvania left from his residence in St. Paul, Minnesota, on Tuesday, assembled supporters were cheering for the governor. “Gov Walz has left his residence in St. Paul, Minnesota to a cheering crowd of neighborhood supporters,” announced a social media post from journalist Mary Lahammer that included video footage.
Harris will be campaigning across state after state in coming days, hitting what one report said would ultimately be seven. She is targeting states that were either close in recent elections or specifically somewhere that Democrats ultimately fell narrowly short.
Walz has now become essentially the Democrats’ counterpoint to Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), the recently announced running mate for Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. Walz’s career is extensive and wide-ranging, including time in the National Guard, as a teacher, and in Congress. Vance’s time in elected office begins and ends with his current term as a Senator, which remains unfinished. He also has a background in the military and investments.
Harris and Walz swiftly got another wave of support from prominent Democrats on Tuesday.
“Tim’s signature is his ability to talk like a human being and treat everyone with decency and respect – not all that surprising considering the fact that he served in the National Guard for 24 years and worked as a high school social studies teacher and football coach before being elected to Congress,” said a statement from Barack and Michelle Obama. “Like Vice President Harris, Governor Walz believes that government works to serve us. Not just some of us, but all of us.”
Gov Walz has left his residence in St. Paul, Minnesota to a cheering crowd of neighborhood supporters. More tonight on @NewsHour @tpt and @tptAlmanac pic.twitter.com/V2eNLZqsRW
— Mary Lahammer (@mlahammer) August 6, 2024
