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If the Upper Midwest is the fail-safe location for the Democrats’ Blue Wall, then Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is their new disruption tool in an emergency.
Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris has selected Walz, a popular former congressman and former high school civics teacher, as her running mate and will introduce him to the nation at a rally Tuesday night in Philadelphia. In choosing Walz, Harris follows the tried-and-true winning rules for choosing a running mate: First, do no harm, and second, never make voters wish the names were reversed. They should cover the map of the states in dispute in the coming days: Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, North Carolina, Georgia, Arizona and Nevada.
Walz, 60, emerged as a late contender for the job in a field full of higher-powered candidates such as Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear. But Walz’s outspoken demeanor, five terms in the U.S. House and two successful runs for governor helped Harris cast him in the role she currently holds as a surrogate for the presidency. Advisers say her chemistry with Harris helped cement the decision over the weekend and that outside allies — even those who previously harbored doubts about her past support of the NRA and her moderate leanings — were expected to quickly fall into line, part of a Democratic Party. . modernization that followed President Joe Biden’s surprise decision to forgo renomination.
It is certain that Walz is unlikely to be a dynamo capable of guaranteeing the Democrats’ fortunes. It may knock Minnesota off the Republican dream map — no Republican has won the state’s electoral votes since 1972 — but it doesn’t fix Democrats’ weaknesses elsewhere in their region, much less necessarily boost their ambitions for Pennsylvania, Georgia or the North. Carolina. It doesn’t hurt anywhere, but it certainly doesn’t heal anywhere either.
Although the Harris poll markedly marked improved Despite Biden — especially with younger voters, women and communities of color — she is far from a surefire victory in the race against former President Donald Trump. Harris and Trump are still very close to each other in swing states, and Trump has a slight and persistent lead in them.
For his part, Walz has already proven himself to be a capable winger. Armchair experts credited Walz’s rise to the use of the jab “weird” to describe Republican positions and the general vibe these days, a ding that caught the attention of a party struggling to find a concise description of Trumpism and MAGA ideology. Others may now be using the same playbook, but it was Walz’s delivery – fair or not – that resonated with a level of authenticity unmatched when others rely on a similarly cheesy script.
While Walz’s Midwestern talent distilled a message for his party, that ultimately mattered less than this true This Harris knows all too well: the person in the Oval Office and the person in the room down the hall and to the right need to be in sync. A bad mix could result in the misfortune that was Harris’s first stint in the West Wing as an often-isolated member of Biden’s outer orbit. Late to come into her own, Harris nevertheless learned perhaps the most important lesson available to any vice president: The role can be lonely if it is defined only by its relationship to the office that surpasses it.
Harris’ decision faced intense lobbying unlike anything seen in recent years. Shapiro could have made history as the first successful Jew to win the vice presidency, but he faced criticism for his constant support of Israel – although his criticism of Hamas and those who do not condemn its terrorist attacks are not far from criticism of Walz himself position, which stems from his visits to the region and with Jewish groups in his country. Shapiro also drew harshly scrutiny for his time in Pennsylvania parole board and his support for school vouchers, which put him on the wrong side of the state’s powerful teachers unions. His criticism of Hamas, in particular, seemed dismissive to many younger voters, especially in Muslim and Arab communities.
At the same time, Harris was warned against Kelly for her support of efforts to reduce gun availability. Kelly, a retired Navy pilot and astronaut, partnered with his wife, former congresswoman Gabby Giffords, to redefine gun rights in this country after she was the target of an assassination attempt during a supermarket visit. The unions also told Harris they were doubtful about your ally to your agenda.
And with Beshear, they had a red state governor who would nevertheless do nothing to get Kentucky out of the crimson column. A natural political talent and infinitely likable, Harris’ orbit thought it best to keep him in reserve for now.
Others, like Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, will have to wait at least four more years before pursuing their own national ambitions. And still others, like North Carolina Governor Rory Cooper and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, withdrew from the race and did not submit their verification paperwork to former Attorney General Eric Holder, who managed the lawsuit. the same way he did for the then senator. Barack Obama.
In Walz, Harris found a credible avatar who placated most Democratic Party blocs. While he often disagreed with progressives in his state, he also leaned on his instincts when he became governor with Democrats in charge of the state House and Senate. For example, he not only sanctioned a measure to protect right to abortion and to supply free school lunch for students, it also done legal recreational marijuana is a reality. Although he was an A-rated House member from the NRA, this quickly became a failing grade as governor as he unloaded gun lobbyists’ donations following the 2017 mass shooting in Las Vegas and supported an assault weapons ban in 2018 following the school shooting in Parkland, Florida. When he was given freedom, he revealed himself as an ally that liberals could find trustworthy. Even so, your handling of the protests following the death of George Floyd, through the deployment of the National Guard, will now gain closer scrutiny and perhaps betray its new reputation as a friend of the post-2020 Democratic identity.
Still, Walz is far from the balm Democrats need. While Biden’s departure is expected to calm jitters about Minnesota’s tilt toward Republican control and Walz could bolster support in his backyard, other Blue Wall bricks like Wisconsin and Michigan in his region remain iffy. Pennsylvania is also a jump ball, which is why Harris and Walz are expected to debut as tickets there on Tuesday before heading to other battlegrounds to begin the march toward the convention in Chicago in less than two weeks. and Election Day in less than two weeks. 100 days.
In Walz, Harris signaled with her first major act of potential administration how she would approach a White House under her watch. It was a responsible choice at first glance, and one that corresponded to her own experiences four years ago, when Biden elevated her from the Senate: helping the top of the ticket, never overshadowing the boss and doing her best not to alienate any of the mandatory constituencies in the Democratic Party. As a bonus: the presidential candidate may even like the potential replacement.
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