Who is Tim Walz - Kamala Harris' running mate for the White House?

Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris has announced Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate in the race for the White House later this year.

Walz, a former teacher and Army veteran, has emerged as a leading vice presidential candidate in recent days, despite not being a familiar name to most Americans.

After the announcement, the Minnesota governor said it was “the honor of a lifetime” to be selected by Ms. Harris.

Who is Tim Walz?

The 60-year-old governor was born in Nebraska and graduated from Chadron State College in 1989. He served in Congress from 2007 to 2019, was elected governor of Minnesota in 2019, and is up for re-election in 2022, bringing both legislative and executive experience. He is currently the chairman of the Democratic Governors Association.

During his time in Congress, Walz represented a conservative-leaning rural district that was traditionally dominated by Republicans.

Mr. Walz joined the Army National Guard at age 17 and served for 24 years.

Before running for Congress, he worked as a teacher on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, where he met his wife, Gwen, and had two children. He later taught briefly in China, then worked as a high school teacher in Minnesota.

Walz has said he entered politics as a volunteer for Massachusetts Senator John Kerry's 2004 presidential campaign, which he said he got involved with after attending a campaign rally for President George W. Bush.

Mr. Walz's political profile

The Minnesota governor has been praised by some progressives for his ability to push some left-wing priorities in a battleground state. He is a supporter of LGBTQ+ rights, and he supported same-sex marriage during his 2006 congressional campaign in a conservative district.

In recent years, Walz has supported programs that cover college tuition for low-income students, as well as free breakfast and lunch programs in public schools. He legalized recreational marijuana for adults in Minnesota and expanded worker protections. He is also considered a strong defender of abortion rights.

On foreign policy, he supported funding for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and has lobbied for funding for Ukraine in its conflict with Russia.

Once an avid hunter and National Rifle Association supporter, Walz has changed his views on gun safety in recent years, enacting stricter gun violence prevention laws.

Why did Ms. Harris choose Mr. Walz?

Presidential candidates often choose their running mate from a battleground state in the hope of appealing to as many voters as possible. Walz is an attractive choice for Harris in this case, given his experience in a conservative-leaning district and his experience working with both Democrats and Republicans. A source familiar with the selection process told USA Today that Harris was drawn to Walz’s law enforcement experience and progressive record.

While he doesn't come from one of the key battleground states like Wisconsin, Michigan or Pennsylvania, he does come from neighboring Minnesota, which Democrats will need to turn blue in November.

Ms. Harris's campaign also said that Mr. Walz is an effective communicator who is capable of confronting Mr. Trump's campaign.