Polls have shown that Tim Walz appeals to rural, white voters
Making one of the most consequential decisions of her campaign, the US Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris has picked Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate, reports have said.
Here Are Five Points On Tim Walz:
- Born in Nebraska, the 60-year-old Minnesota Governor is a US Army National Guard veteran and has also been a teacher.
- A former member of Congress who was elected from a Republican-leaning district, polls have shown that Tim Walz appeals to rural, white voters. He is also known for advancing progressive policies as the Minnesota governor, including paid worker leave and free meals in schools.
- Mr Walz taught in China's Guangdong province around the time of the 1989 unrest in Tiananmen square. He has taught geography, coached a school's football team in Minnesota and, in 1999, was also reportedly the faculty adviser for the school's first gay-straight alliance chapter.
- Ms Harris' vice-presidential pick enlisted in the US Army National Guard at the age of 17 and served for 24 years. He first ran for office in 2006 and won the gubernatorial elections in 2018 and 2022. He is now the chair of the Democratic Governors Association.
- The Minnesota Governor is also credited with calling the Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and his running mate JD Vance "weird". This was picked up by other Democrats and eventually by Ms Harris as well. The label has been used frequently and Mr Trump and the Republicans have not been able to come up with a hard-hitting response.
