|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Now that the mystery is over, concerning who would become Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate, the news of the day is all about Democratic Governor of Minnesota, Tim Walz.
Tim Walz is the 60-year-old Governor of Minnesota, who grew up in West Point, Nebraska. He served in the Army National Guard for 24 years. A former social studies teacher, Walz served six terms in Congress starting in 2007, and won the race for governor in 2018 and 2022. He is the father of 2 children, married to another long time educator Gwen Walz.
Responses to COVID and George Floyd
During his 6 years as governor, Walz has faced the two biggest challenges in his political career—COVID and the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer. Both occurred simultaneously in 2020.
Similar to fellow Democrat Gov. Gavin Newsom, Walz took an active approach when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. He used emergency powers and put the state under restrictions that would lead to lockdowns, school closures and closed businesses. He would also do daily afternoon briefings to give updates on the state’s handling of the virus.
Floyd was killed by Derek Chauvin when he kneeled on Floyd’s neck for several minutes on May 25, 2020 in Minneapolis, leading to Black Lives Matter protests in the city and throughout the country.
The governor was criticized for his delayed response in getting the National Guard involved. Walz and his team have said, however, that they dealt with the issues as best they could, including deployment of the National Guard. The two-term governor acknowledged his decision to delay deploying the National Guard and called the city’s response an “abject failure,” during a press conference a few days after protests gripped the Twin Cities and the greater Minneapolis area, causing extensive damage to buildings, businesses, and a police precinct that was overrun by rioters and set ablaze.
Supporters, however, have praised him for being instrumental in prosecuting the officers involved in Floyd’s murder.
Ben Crump, the civil rights attorney for the families of George Floyd and Daunte Wright (a 20-year-old African American who was killed by a police officer in Minnesota in 2021) said Gov. Walz is a “strong choice” as Kamala Harris‘ Vice Presidential running mate.
“I gained personal respect for him in the aftermath of George Floyd’s death, when he reached out to the Floyd family on multiple occasions, and later to the family of Daunte Wright. He used his position to advocate for passage of police reform legislation,” Crump said.
Civil rights activist and icon, Rev. Al Sharpton supported Vice President Harris’ nominee as well:
“In 2020, we demanded justice for George Floyd in Minneapolis. Governor Walz listened to our calls and appointed Attorney General Ellison to lead the investigation. This showed me he is a man who listens and acts in the best interests of his constituents,” Sharpton tweeted. Sharpton’s post included a video of Walz attending Wright’s funeral.
Democrat and Republican Leaders Weigh In
Not surprisingly, Democrats and Republicans remained loyal to their political bases when discussing Harris’ VP pick. Here is reaction from both sides:
California Democratic Gov. Gavin News called the choice “brilliant,” saying that Walz has been “an incredible partner as a governor.”
He added, “Tim Walz is about doing the right thing. Whether it’s free school meals or standing up against gun violence — he’s never been intimidated. He’s about honor…”
Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla said Walz has “a long track record of public service and delivering results for working families.”
Rep. Adam Schiff, a Democrat who is running for U.S. Senate, said Walz has a “plain-spoken demeanor” who advocates for “common sense policies that improve the lives of all Americans.”
“Harris-Walz will be well equipped to deliver a clear vision for the future, and contrast that forward-looking message with the shambolic horror show that is Trump-Vance.”
James Gallagher, the California Assembly Republican leader, called the selection a “hard swing to the far left of the party.”
“The Harris VP pick (and who was not picked) says a whole lot about the modern Democrat Party… and it’s not good.”
Rep. Kevin Kiley called Walz a “Gavin Newsom wannabe” who has “copied California’s worst policies” in Minnesota.
Paul Mitchell, an expert with Political Data Inc., explained that Walz, like some other potential running mates, was not too well known. He said about 70% of voters nationally did not know who he is, while 90% of voters nationally do not have a strong opinion about Walz as a VP pick.
Mitchell described Walz as someone Harris is more comfortable campaigning with rather than him being an “electoral vote choice.”
“It is also a ‘do no harm pick,’ Mitchell said. “It’s kind of [a] vanilla choice.”
As far as whether Walz is a beneficial or detrimental choice, Mitchell said he was a safe pick, explaining that running mates don’t really affect public opinion.
