NewsWalz joins Harris ticket as Vice Presidential nominee

Walz joins Harris ticket as Vice Presidential nominee

Tim Walz officially accepted the nomination for Vice President of the USA
Tim Walz officially accepted the nomination for Vice President of the USA
Images source: © PAP | PAP/EPA/WILL OLIVER
Justyna Lasota-Krawczyk

22 August 2024 07:27, updated: 22 August 2024 08:59

Governor of Minnesota Tim Walz will officially be Kamala Harris's candidate for Vice President of the USA. He accepted the Democratic Party's nomination late Wednesday night.

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Walz accepted the nomination in a speech given on the third day of the ongoing Democratic Party Convention in Chicago. He will run alongside Kamala Harris, who is seeking the presidency.

"I couldn’t be prouder to be on this ticket, and I couldn’t be prouder to help make @KamalaHarris the next President of the United States," Walz wrote on platform X.

The convention in Chicago was an opportunity for Walz to present himself to a wider audience. In his speech, he emphasised that he comes from a village in Nebraska and was shaped as a politician by his work as a teacher in a small town in Minnesota.

-We also protected reproductive freedom because, in Minnesota, we respect our neighbours and the personal choices they make. And even if we wouldn't make the same choices for ourselves, we've got a golden rule - mind your own damn business - said the Vice Presidential candidate.

Walz warns about Trump

He also warned about Donald Trump's electoral programme, claiming that only the wealthiest would benefit from his presidency, that he would ban abortion, and make life harder for "people who are just trying to live their lives their way." He also criticised Trump's leadership qualities, pointing out that leaders do not spend their entire days insulting people and blaming others.

He argued that he and presidential candidate Kamala Harris have a better offer for Americans. He announced tax cuts for the middle class, lowered prescription drug prices, and made it easier to buy a home.

Who is Tim Walz?

In 2006, Walz was elected to the House of Representatives, where he spent 12 years. In 2018, he became the Governor of Minnesota.

The 60-year-old is a former National Guard soldier and teacher who has gained recognition among Democratic voters in recent weeks as a staunch supporter of Harris. Walz, a former congressman from a district where Republicans enjoy significant support, has proven to be an attractive choice for white rural voters, even though as governor, he advocated for liberal policies, such as free school meals and expanded paid worker leave - highlighted by Reuters.

Although Minnesota is a state where Democrats perform well, it is located close to Wisconsin and Michigan, traditionally sceptical of Democrats. Choosing Walz could be a nod towards an electorate composed of undecided or moderately-minded individuals potentially put off by the unpredictability attributed to Republican candidate Donald Trump - American analysts and media noted in recent days.

  • CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, UNITED STATES - AUGUST 21: Tim Walz, governor of Minnesota and Democratic vice-presidential nominee, and his wife Gwen greets during the Democratic National Convention (DNC) at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, United States on August 21, 2024. (Photo by Jacek Boczarski/Anadolu via Getty Images)
  • CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, UNITED STATES - AUGUST 21: Tim Walz, governor of Minnesota and Democratic vice-presidential nominee, speaks during the Democratic National Convention (DNC) at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, United States on August 21, 2024. This week's Democratic National Convention features the ceremonial crowning of Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as the party's presidential nominees, capping an eventful month for Democrats, who quickly coalesced behind new candidates after President Joe Biden dropped out of the race in July. (Photo by Jacek Boczarski/Anadolu via Getty Images)
  • MILWAUKEE, WI - AUGUST 20: Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Tim Walz, speak at a campaign rally on August 20th, 2024 at Fiserv Forum, the site of the 2024 RNC. (Photo by Sara Stathas for the Washington Post)
  • Democratic Vice Presidential nominee Tim Walz (L), next to his daughter, Hope Walz (R), waves to the audience during the third night of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, USA, 21 August 2024. The 2024 Democratic National Convention is being held from 19 to 22 August 2024, during which delegates of the United States' Democratic Party will vote on the party's platform and ceremonially vote for the party's nominee for president, Vice President Kamala Harris, and for vice president, Governor Tim Walz of Minnesota, for the upcoming presidential election. EPA/CAROLINE BREHMAN Dostawca: PAP/EPA.
[1/4] CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, UNITED STATES - AUGUST 21: Tim Walz, governor of Minnesota and Democratic vice-presidential nominee, and his wife Gwen greets during the Democratic National Convention (DNC) at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, United States on August 21, 2024. (Photo by Jacek Boczarski/Anadolu via Getty Images)Images source: © GETTY | Anadolu