Relevance

In terms of the election, Tim Walz has much to contribute to Kamala’s campaign. Picking Walz reveals Kamala’s vision and priorities for her administration. As governor of Minnesota, Walz has experience with the operations of the state and federal government. This background will be a huge asset to the campaign and in implementing policies that impact a wide range of individuals. Furthermore, selecting Walz is a huge deal for the Democrats as his focus on healthcare, education, and economic development aligns with the Democratic agenda, strengthening the campaign. Tim Walz can highly influence the political environment by changing voter perception and enthusiasm. With his Minnesota background and policies, Walz may attract Midwestern voters, the LGBTQ+ community, and women voters. With Walz’s appeal to different demographics, experience in policy, and set priorities, he will be a game-changer in this campaign.

Qualifications

Tim Walz has a unique background. He was highly ranked in the National Guard and has also worked in high schools, taking on many roles: geography teacher, football coach, and advisor for one school’s first gay-straight alliance almost 30 years ago. In 2004, he got involved in politics as a member of John Kerry’s presidential campaign. In 2006, he became a state representative for Minnesota, a role which he maintained until becoming governor in 2018. Now, he is Kamala Harris’ running mate.    

Prior to Harris announcing her choice, many commentators and politicians had opinions on what running mate characteristics would be necessary for her success. Many suggested that Harris choose a white male candidate to offset fears Americans might have about electing a Black and Indian-American woman to the presidency. It was clear that Harris’ team understood this—when her shortlist dropped, it was unsurprising to note that all were white, only one was a woman, and most were heterosexual. Harris’ team had “concluded that it most likely had to be a middle-aged white man, for many of the reasons Barack Obama chose Biden.” Walz satisfies this first optical requirement, to bring in audiences who may be uncomfortable with Harris’ race and gender.    

In addition to being a white man, he has “a lived experience that is…comparable to…many of the people in rural America who are willing to maybe reconsider just blindly voting for the Republican Party candidate,” per Sen. Heidi Heitkamp. Rural Americans have been known to make up a sizable amount of Trump voters and many have drifted away from the Democratic Party due to feeling unrepresented, so seeing Walz alongside Harris may be key to regaining their support.   

Walz has developed a reputation for being kind and dedicated to unity, but still ideologically firm. When in Congress, he “had a reputation as a hard-worker who found common ground with Republicans” and to this day, per Rep. Gerry Connolly, “is respected, even in conservative circles.” During Harris and Walz’s rally on August 6th, Walz spoke of their opponent, Donald Trump, stating that Trump “doesn’t know the first thing about service. He doesn’t have time for it because he’s too busy serving himself.” This statement positioned Harris and Walz as the moral choice, emphasizing their supposed commitment to unity and to making choices that will genuinely benefit the American people.   

Another section of the American people which Walz especially appeals to is younger voters, many of whom are pro-Palestinian and do not approve of US support for Israel. This was particularly evident during the campus encampments of the past year. These young voters had incredibly low support for Biden, even nicknaming him “Genocide Joe.” They led the movement to vote uncommitted as a protest against the two main parties’ stances on Israel. Harris, despite being Biden’s vice president, has managed to garner these young voters’ support for her campaign, and Walz’s sympathetic view towards the uncommitted movement and his professed support for a ceasefire may further engage this population. Throughout his time as governor and representative, Walz has focused on initiatives which many young voters agree on. These include “providing universal free school meals for students, protecting reproductive freedom, strengthening voting rights, laying the groundwork to get Minnesota to 100% clean electricity by 2040…and expanding paid leave for Minnesota workers,” as well as supporting queer rights.   

Finally, due to the urgency of this election, the unusual beginning to her campaign, and the constant internal dissent that pervaded Joe Biden’s reelection campaign prior to him stepping down, “[Harris] was looking for someone who would be willing to stand behind her and defend her thick or thin…[Walz] was one of the only ones who went to the cameras to publicly defend Biden after his…poor debate performance” which convinced Harris’ team that he could be trusted by her side.    

However, there are still risks to selecting Walz as running mate. Immediately after the announcement, conservative media criticized his delayed response to riots following the Black Lives Matter protests in Minnesota while he was governor, his misstep when choosing the state’s cannabis regulator, some of his more liberal policies, and his potential connections to China. Trump allies have “pointed to a Minnesota law requiring the state’s utilities to transition to carbon-free electricity sources by 2040; a law expanding voting rights for people convicted of felonies; and efforts to expand undocumented immigrants’ eligibility for health insurance and in-state tuition” as overly liberal, contradicting his moderate image. Meanwhile, David Hann, chairman of the Minnesota Republican party, claimed Walz would be a liability due to his “failing to prevent the chaos and damage that followed the murder of George Floyd….” However, some of these allegations are untrue. For instance, Walz has not supported the Defund the Police movement, nor the Chinese Communist Party. In addition to conservative complaints, those on the far-left feel that he is too moderate and does not align with the community’s needs.