Gov. Tim Walz won't share details about VP vetting process, as Kamala Harris secures enough delegates for nomination
MINNEAPOLIS — Vice President Kamala Harris has the delegates. Now the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee just needs a running mate.
But Gov. Tim Walz, who is on the short list of potential candidates, isn't saying much about that process.
"That's a decision that needs to be made by the vice president and she will make it on what she sees. I am who I am," Walz said Thursday when pressed by reporters.
Harris, who will hit the campaign trail with her vice presidential pick on Tuesday for a tour through battleground states, is expected to announce her choice by Monday.
A spokesperson for Walz confirmed Friday that the governor was in the state and will be Saturday, too, though no public events are scheduled. So far, he is still slated to appear at an event for a group of young Democrats in New Hampshire on Sunday. Others who are up for consideration, like Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, canceled weekend appearances.
"I don't think every high school geography teacher expects to be in this position at some point," Walz joked. "But it's very strange."
"I think Minnesotans, communities, mayors, legislators have put Minnesota on the map for policies that are improving people's lives," he added later. "And I recognize that I'm being looked at because of the body of work that includes a whole lot of people."
Walz is the chair of the Democratic Governors Association and has made several appearances on national cable news shows making the case for Democrats and Harris, characterizing Republicans as "weird," which has become a talking point for the party and the campaign.
A new poll from YouGov found more than half of Democrats and Independents who lean left—59%—aren't sure whether they approve of him or not, which signals Walz is still not well known to most of the electorate.
If Walz is chosen, he will have to introduce himself to most Americans for the first time and will face scrutiny for his record.
"I think he's a better candidate than some of the others I'm hearing in the Veepstakes for political purposes," said Amy Koch, a Republican strategist. "But he will have to answer for some of the bills he signed into law. He's going to have to answer for the riots—that's going to come up again the [2020] Minneapolis riots and some of the executive oversight things."
Democratic analyst Abou Amara said he believes Walz has the skill set and background that would complement Harris: She came up in California politics first as a district attorney, then as attorney general, which stands in contrast to Walz who grew up in a small town and was a geography teacher before entering political life.
He served southern Minnesota in Congress before becoming governor in 2018.
"Can someone go into a variety of states with different groups of people with different visions for America, and really show them that there's a place for them in the party, and they should be voting for the Democratic ticket—that political versatility is the core skill set and I think Tim Walz has it," Amara said.
If Harris chooses Walz to be her running mate and they win in November, the Minnesota Constitution is clear about the line of succession: Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan would become governor, the first woman to hold the job.
Senate President Bobby Joe Champion would become lieutenant governor.
