by Mick the Ram

Kamela Harris has made her choice for running mate, picking Minnesota Governor Tim Waltz possibly for his proven ability to relate to Midwest voters and his appeal with blue-collar workers.

Walz was been given the nod on Tuesday 6 August ahead of several other candidates that included Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona.

The past record of the plain-talking 60-year-old on issues such as child tax credits and paid leave for middle class families, are believed to have impressed Harris and helped convince her that he was the ideal man for the post.

Additionally, union leaders had touted his policies and he has deep ties to certain communities that the Democrats have been consistently losing support from for many years.

He grew up in a small town in Nebraska and went on to serve more than two decades with the Army National Guard, reaching the position of command sergeant major.

Previously he has been at odds with other Democrats on the issue of gun rights, but more recently he has supported universal background checks, and an assault weapons ban.

Glowing praise from Kamala Harris

In a text message sent to her supporters, Harris wrote: “Tim is a battle-tested leader who has an incredible track record of getting things done for Minnesota families; I know that he will bring that same principled leadership to our campaign, and to the office of the vice president.”

The rural American

Walz was born in West Point, Nebraska, a community of about 3,500 people, sitting to the north-west of Omaha. He served 24 years in the Army National Guard before retiring from a field artillery battalion in 2005 having reached one of the military’s highest enlisted ranks.

He worked as a teacher, before settling down in Minnesota and running for Congress. Six terms in the House were served, where he focused on military, veterans and agricultural issues, which will compensate for the relative lack of experience in those areas that Harris possesses.

Criticism in first term

Now serving his second term as governor, he overcame two major challenges on his first term. There was the George Floyd murder in Minneapolis and the pandemic.

He faced criticism in his handling of both issues, including failing to deploy the state’s National Guard quickly enough after Floyd protesters set a police precinct ablaze, and with the pandemic he was blasted for prolonged school closures.

Indeed, Republicans have already signalled that they plan to use his record during the COVID period against him. They have already labelled him as being a “dangerously liberal extremist”.

Rallying cry

Walz for his part, mocked Trump and Republican policies as “weird,” which is a remark that has rapidly become a rallying cry for Democrats.

He may not be from one of the crucial “blue wall” states of Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania – where both sides believe hold potentially crucial wins – but he is right next door and that could ensure that Minnesota stays in the hands of Democrats.

New partnership

There is not much of a prior relationship between Harris and Walz, although as governor and vice president, the pair did appear on the campaign trail together, including a visit to a Minnesota abortion clinic in May of this year.