ST. PAUL 鈥� Speculation continues to swirl about Gov. Tim Walz's chances as a running mate for Vice President Kamala Harris' presidential run this year.
Buzz about Walz continues online, and he recently appeared on CNN to explain why he calls Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and his running mate, Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, "weird."
ADVERTISEMENT
"Listen to (Trump), he's talking about Hannibal Lecter and shocking sharks and just whatever crazy thing pops into his mind, and I thought we just give him way too much credit,"
Walz, like many potential vice presidential picks before him, is seemingly running to be the running mate by being out front on the cable news circuit and acting as a surrogate for the Harris campaign.
While some national outlets have candidate, most have put him in the running
The Harris campaign has also not publicly stated who they consider to be a serious contender for a running mate, though the campaign did request vetting material for Walz.
The campaign has also asked for material from several other possible picks who either have a higher national presence, like Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, or from governors in states considered more at risk to flip Republican, like Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro.
While President Joe Biden was in a statistical tie with Trump in most presidential polls for Minnesota, Harris secured a 6-point lead in the state over
At this point, who Harris will pick to join her ticket is just speculation, but Democrats are likely to next week, which would likely follow with an endorsement for vice president. The call is expected to be completed by Aug. 7.
ADVERTISEMENT
Walz has most notably from U.S. Rep. Angie Craig, who endorsed him on the social media site X on Wednesday.
A Harris-Walz ticket would draw a good comparison to the Republican ticket, DFL Chair Ken Martin said, adding that this year is an existential election and Harris represents 鈥渢he future of not only the Democratic Party, but the future of America.鈥�
Martin listed marks in Walz's favor as a VP running mate, including Walz's prior military service and work as a teacher, coach, 12-year congressional member and two-term governor.
鈥淢ost importantly 鈥� is the fact that he has gotten a lot done for Minnesota in his time as governor, and I think he鈥檚 got a great record of success to share with the American people of how he鈥檚 governed the state,鈥� Martin said.
Walz has received praise from supporters, both in the state and nationally, for more progressive legislation passed in the state, which includes free breakfast and lunches for school children and solidifying the right to an abortion in the state.
鈥淚 think (Walz) can talk about these things in a very folksy way in terms of his populist agenda,鈥� Martin said.
Some of the decisions Walz has made as governor, like how he handled the George Floyd uprising in 2020, or the millions of dollars in fraud with government programs under his watch, may be liabilities for him as a national candidate, says Paul Gazelka, a longtime Republican legislator who was the Senate majority leader from 2017 to 2021.
ADVERTISEMENT
鈥淚 would definitely be somebody to point out some of his weaknesses, but from Harris鈥� vantage point, I鈥檓 not so sure she would consider some of those (to be) weaknesses,鈥� he said.
The Trust Project
