ROANOKE, Va. (WFXR) — Kamala Harris announced her running mate for Minnesota Governor Tim Walz on Tuesday.
That will almost certainly form the Democratic ticket in November’s general election, pending the Democratic National Convention to be held in Chicago Aug. 19-22.
Walz has been the governor of Minnesota since 2019. He is also a veteran of the Army National Guard and a former high school teacher and football coach. He has extensive experience in the U.S. House of Representatives, having served for more than a decade.
The selection came as a surprise to many who expected Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro to be picked instead.
Pennsylvania’s status as a swing state, coupled with the fact that Harris was planning to kick off the portion of her campaign alongside her running mate in the state seemed to point to Shapiro getting the nod.
In the wake of the news, several political analysts have found strategic value in the Walz pick as well.
“It seems to me that Gov. Walz can appeal to many of the same constituencies that Gov. Shapiro could have,” said Virginia Tech political science professor Dr. Karen Hult.
Liberty University professor of government Aaron Van Allen felt that Shapiro would have made a better running mate overall, but acknowledged that Walz is well-respected in Minnesota and among Democrats.
“He’s made a lot of investments in workforce development as well as in education,” he said.
Hult feels that Walz brings a relatability that could appeal to individuals within both political parties while moderating perceptions of Kamala Harris.
“He tempers with more moderate views both ideologically and with policy positions her perceived liberalism and progressivism,” she said.
Van Allen took up a different approach, finding Walz further away from the center.
“He is somebody who doesn’t necessarily tact near the center as I think would have been more so to the advantage of Kamala Harris with somebody like Josh Shapiro,” he said.
While many are not overly familiar with Walz, those who have done their homework on the Democratic side are pleased with the selection.
“I think we’ve got a better team than the Republican ticket has and I’m excited and encouraged,” said Roanoke Mayor Sherman Lea Sr., who will attend the DNC as a delegate for the first time this month.
Hult feels that the success Walz has had up north will translate to other swing states like Virginia, which she feels shares similarities with Minnesota.
“Both states have a very clear mix of smaller towns and agriculture as well as larger metropolitan areas,” she said.
She feels that he will appeal to other states, like Pennsylvania and Georgia, for the same reasons.
In the battle for the Midwest, where swing states Wisconsin and Michigan are located, the pick could help appeal to a region rather than a singular state.
“The play that they’re looking at here is rather than picking up one state where they can pick up 19 electoral college votes, maybe they can pick up multiple swing states,” Van Allen said.
Harris and Walz will stay on the campaign trail, making stops in several swing states over the next several days, before traveling to the DNC later this month.
