Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz says ‘I would do what’s in the best interest of the country’ if asked to join Harris ticket

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, considered on a short list of potential running mates for Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign, on Sunday left the door open to joining her on the ticket if asked.

“I would do what was in the best interest of the country,” Walz said in a interview on CNN’s “State of the Union” when asked if he would serve as Harris’ running mate.

Pressed on whether that includes serving as vice president, Walz responded, “We’ll cross paths when we get there.”

Harris’ campaign requested vetting materials from several potential running mates, including Walz, NBC News reported. But in his CNN interview, Walz stopped short of confirming whether he received verification materials from the Harris campaign.

“I’m not talking about anything personal about this,” he said. “I think being mentioned is certainly an honor. My job is to make sure that – and I trust Vice President Harris’ judgment – ​​she makes the best choice possible. But one way or another, she will win in November and that will benefit everyone.”

Walz, a military veteran who also served as a congressman and public school teacher, is known for his record of advocacy for rural and working-class communities, and has implemented progressive policies in his state throughout his two terms as governor.

Walz signed state legislation codifying abortion rights protectionslegalizing recreational marijuana, placing restrictions on gun ownership and ensure legal protections for transgender youth. He also enacted laws providing expanded paid family leave It is universal school lunch for students.

Asked whether her legislative record would be an asset to Harris’ campaign or fuel attacks from former President Donald Trump’s campaign painting the vice president as “ultra liberal,” Walz responded: “What a monster — the kids are eating and getting with a full belly, then they can learn and women are making their own health care decisions. And we’re one of the top five business states and we’re also in the top three for happiness.”

“Look, they’re going to label whatever they want. He’s going to throw this out, mispronounce names, you know, to try to make his case,” he added, referring to the attacks that Trump and his allies have directed at Harris. “The truth is, where you see the policies that Vice President Harris was a part of, Democratic governors across the country have carried out those policies and the quality of life is higher.”

Walz’s allies see him as a potential vice presidential pick who could appeal to rural and working-class voters and therefore provide a boost to Harris’ presidential campaign.

Walz’s recent outspoken attacks on Trump and his running mate, Senator JD Vance – whom he called “weird” during an interview on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe”” last week — caught the attention of fellow Democrats, including Harris, whose campaign messages against the Republican ticket followed Walz’s example in adopting the simple phrase.

“Listen to the guy. He’s talking about Hannibal Lecter and shocking sharks and whatever crazy thing comes to mind. And I thought we gave him too much credit,” Walz said in his CNN interview when asked why calling Trump “weird” is an effective line of attack for Democrats.

“My observation on this is – have you ever seen the guy laugh? This seems very strange to me, that an adult can spend six and a half years in the public eye – if he laughed, it was at someone, not with someone,” she added. “This is strange behavior, and I don’t think you can call it anything else. It’s simply what we’re observing.”