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Vice President Kamala Harris has selected Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her vice presidential running mate.
Harris is set to make the official announcement concerning her decision, according to multiple sources noted by Reuters.
Walz, 60, is an Army National Guard veteran and former teacher who served 12 years as a congressman before becoming Minnesota’s governor in 2018. Walz was also a vocal proponent of calling for President Joe Biden to drop out of his reelection campaign.
The former congressman and governor also serves as the chair of the Democratic Governors Association. Walz is seen as key to helping win Minnesota and potentially influence Democratic voters in nearby Wisconsin and Michigan.
The governor was selected over Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro who was strongly considered in part over the importance of winning the electoral votes of the key battleground state.
Walz fits with Harris on several issues, including abortion. His campaign website for governor promised, “An abortion ban will never become law on my watch.”
His website also added, “The day after Roe v. Wade was overturned, Tim and Peggy issued an executive order that allows their administration to use all legal discretion to decline to extradite people who are charged under other states’ laws that criminalize providing, seeking, or obtaining an abortion.”
The decision also comes as Harris won her party’s nomination as the Democratic nominee without receiving a single vote during the 2024 primary season.
Her recent announcement to run for president following President Joe Biden’s decision to end his reelection bid led to a surge of political donations for Harris. The shift also included a strong media blitz to reframe her historically low approval rating as vice president.
Harris will reportedly be announced as the Democratic nominee after the virtual roll call ends at 6 p.m. Eastern on Monday.
