Vice President Harris has picked Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) to be her running mate as she heads toward a November showdown against former President Trump, according to two familiar sources.
Walz, 60, emerged as a dark horse candidate for second place, while talk of other high-profile names, in particular Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) and Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly (D), dominated the early part. of the veepstakes.
But the Minnesota governor saw his profile rise considerably last week, especially after a viral cable news interview in which he derided some Republicans as “weird” — a line of attack later adopted by national Democrats.
Walz was also seen by many as a safer choice for Harris, thanks to his liberal bona fides and the fact that some of the other contenders had been attacked by certain segments of the left. Shapiro has recently received heavy scrutiny over his response to the pro-Palestinian protests that have emerged in the wake of the war between Israel and Hamas, and both he and Kelly have drawn the ire of union leaders.
Adding to Walz’s appeal is the fact that he comes from a Midwestern state that Trump has increasingly set out to change. Although Biden won Minnesota in 2020 by 7 points, and no Republican has won the presidential race there in more than 50 years, Trump and his running mate, Ohio Senator J.D. Vance (R), have stepped up their efforts to campaign in the state .
This story originally appeared on thehill.com read the full story
