General
Wednesday Briefing
Kamala Harris’s choice for vice president.
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Vice President Kamala Harris with Tim Walz in Philadelphia on Tuesday.Credit…Hiroko Masuike/The New York Times
Harris and Walz made their debut in Philadelphia
Kamala Harris appeared for the first time alongside her newly announced running mate, Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota, a former social studies teacher and football coach with a straight-talking style, introducing him yesterday at a packed rally in Philadelphia.
“Tim Walz was the kind of teacher and mentor that every child in America dreams of having and that every kid deserves,” Harris said. “The kind of coach — because he’s the kind of person — who makes people feel like they belong and then inspires them to dream big. And that’s the kind of vice president he will be.”
Walz responded, beaming, “Thank you for bringing back the joy.”
Democrats proved quick to embrace their new ticket on Tuesday, and the Harris campaign said it had raised more than $20 million in the hours since Walz’s selection became official.
Background: Born in Nebraska, Walz served for 24 years in the National Guard, taught social studies and coached a high school football team. He got his start in politics in 2006 by winning a congressional race in a rural, largely conservative district of Minnesota. Here are 19 things to know about Walz.
Politics: After his election as governor of Minnesota, Walz has worked to enact an ambitious agenda of liberal policies: free college tuition for low-income students, free meals for schoolchildren, legal recreational marijuana and protections for transgender people. He has also championed climate issues but has faced criticism for his response to the George Floyd protests.
