Whoever Vice President Kamala Harris chooses to be her running mate in the presidential election is ultimately her decision, but if the House Democrats have their way, that choice will be Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
It appears Walz made an impression on his former colleagues when he served in the House for 12 years, starting in 2006, per The Hill.
During his time in Congress, Walz was the top Democrat on the Veterans Affairs Committee. He left the House in 2019 become governor of Minnesota.
Walz was the highest-ranking enlisted soldier in the history of Congress.
House Democrats now tout him as an asset to the Democratic ticke.
“My sentimental favorite is Tim Walz,” said Rep. Jim McGovern (Mass.), the lead Democrat on the Rules Committee. “He was a great member of Congress. The people I know in Minnesota tell me he’s a great governor… But more importantly he’s a good guy. He’s down to earth, he’s the real deal, there’s nothing phony about him, and he calls ‘em as he sees ‘em, and he tells it like it is, and I appreciate the candor.”
Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), who heads the Congressional Progressive Caucus, also favors Walz. She talked of Walz’s record of backing labor unions and working families.
“I want somebody who’s really strongly pro-labor and understands labor, because this is a big part of the working-class agenda and making sure that we win working-class votes,” Jayapal said.
“I want somebody who is totally committed to the agenda that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris fought for, … and then I think it should be somebody who’s really good in some of our mid-Western states. So making sure that we win Wisconsin, Ohio — some of those places. And so that kind of brings me to — I really like Gov. Walz,” she said. “I like the things that he’s been able to do. I like that he’s from a rural town; I like that he’s got a military background.”
“So he would be a great choice,” she added.
Support for Walz didn’t end there.
Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is believed to be favoring Walz, too. A source told The Hill “she is always especially fond of former House colleagues,” giving a possible nod to Walz.
Harris is expected to name a running mate soon as the team is set to visit seven key battleground states next week starting Tuesdayin Philadelphia.
Others on Harris’ short list include Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shaprio, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, among others..
