US presidential election: US Vice President and Democratic candidate Kamala Harris on Tuesday on (August 6) picked Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate, looking to strengthen the Democratic ticket in Midwestern states. She will introduce Walz at a rally on Tuesday evening in Philadelphia. This comes hours after Harris officially secured the Democratic presidential nomination on Monday, becoming the first woman of Black and Indian heritage to contest the position on a major party ticket.
According to sources, Harris zeroed in on three potential finalists in the recent days including Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
The selection of Walz was made after conducting several interviews with potential vice presidential choices. A team of lawyers led by lawyers and political operatives led by former attorney general Eric Holder pored over documents and arranged the interviews. Kamala Harris herself met with three people who made it to the final list on Sunday and mulled the decision over Monday with top aides at the vice president’s residence in Washington and finalized it Tuesday morning. Walz emerged as the choice.
Who is Tim Walz?
Walz is a military veteran and union supporter who helped enact an ambitious Democratic agenda for his state, including sweeping protections for abortion rights and generous aid to families. Walz was initially a high school social studies teacher, football coach and union member before he got into politics. He served 24 years in the Army National Guard, rising to command sergeant major, one of the highest enlisted ranks in the military.
Republicans react
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis described the selection of Walz as the "most left-wing ticket in American history" and accused him of not doing enough to protect Minnesota during the 2020 protests over the killing of George Floyd. He said “Walz sat by and let Minneapolis burn.”
Donald Trump, the Republican candidate for the White House race, had chosen JD Vance as his running mate. Harris will now officially face former US President and Republican rival Trump in November, as several polls show a neck-to-neck contest between the two leaders.
Harris' entry in the political fray has re-energised a campaign that had faltered badly amid Democrats' doubts about Biden's chances of defeating Trump or his ability to continue to govern should he succeed. Harris, the first Black woman and first Asian American to serve as vice president, raised more than $100 million in the 36 hours after Biden decided to drop out of the race. She raised over $200 million after announcing her candidacy, far more than Trump's $138.7 million in July.
(With AP inputs)
